THE CORPORATION ENDOWMENT IN THE FORTY MILE BUSH.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 96, 21 October 1881, Page 3

THE CORPORATION ENDOWMENT IN THE FORTY MILE BUSH.

« The committee of the City Council, who recently visited the Corporation Reserve at Mangahao in the Forty Mile Bush, presented their report to the Counoil last night. The committee state that tho reserve is situated on the main road from tho Wairarapa to the West Coast, about twelve miles on this side of Woodvillo, and about 18 miles from Ekatahuna, the road being maintained by the County Counoil, and in first-rate order. The land is covered with bush, principally tawa, but not so heavily timbered as to offer any difficulty in felling it, and is well watered throughout. The reserve consists of 1601 acres, and is subdivided into 11 sections of from 63 to 204 acres each, having been laid out to the beat possible advantage, all having frontages to a surveyed road, and five of them fronting the main road already made. The soil on all the sections was found to be a rich brown loam of considerable depth, with an under-Btratum of gravel, and, when cleared and laid down in grass, capable of carrying a large amount of stock, and in course of time yielding heavy crops of grain or roots. Adjoining tho reserve on the Woodville side there is a townihip reserve, which is now being surveyed by Government, with a view to being' cut up into five-acre blocks, and between the two reserves there is a road laid oat. The committee are of opinion that it would materially aßbi3t the Council in disposing of the reserve to advaafc#o were the roads formed which have been laid off, giving acceps to the various sootions, and, to assist in this, would recommend that the County Council be communicated with, with a view to the works being gono on with, this Council undertaking to bear such portion of the expense as may bo mutually agreed upon The reserve is most highly spoken of by all who are acquainted with it, and is regarded by the settlers in the neighbourhood as one of the best pieces of land in the whole district. With a view to disposing of the land to tho best advantage, the committee recommend that, at first, 50 aores on each of some of the sections — say the sections on both Bides of the main road, containing some 593 acres —bo cleared, the timber bnrnt, and the land sown with grass, when tenders might be called for 42 yeara' lease of the same, at a periodically-in-creasing rental. The clearing, burning, and BOfffing, would cost about <£3 per acre ; but the': outlay would be amply repaid by the increased value given to the land, and the greater inducements held out to those who could then work the land to advantage, but are unable, at present, from want of means, to meet the preliminary outlay of the purohaso of a freehold, and clearing same. As the first cleared sections are taken up, others might be dealt with by degrees in the same way, aB the Council found themselves in funds for tho necessary ontlay. To provide for this outlay, the committee recommend that the moneys which the Sinking Fund Commissioners of the City Improvements Loan may have for investment, from time to time, be lent to tho Corporation, secured by mortgage on the land, tho rents from which would far more than repay the interest on the loan. The committee finally congratulate the Council and oitiz ns of Wellington on the possession of co valuable an endowment, which they Bay in course of time will matorially aid in lightening the burdens of the ratepayers. Tho consideration of tho report was adjourned till tho next meeting of tho Council.