WITH THE LAND COMMISSION.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 50, 1 March 1905, Page 2

WITH THE LAND COMMISSION.

VISIT TO OTAUTAU. DKSeUIPTION OF TJIE COUNTRY. UKAUMOiVT TENANTS' EVIDENCE. [By Telegraph.] (From Our (Special Reporter.) OTAUTAU. 28th February. The members of the Land Commission left Invovciu'Kill o" Monday morning for OtnutJiu. 'l av duy was somewhat cold, iiiul ominous clouds threatened rain, which fortunately held off. The journey brought under the notice of the Commission somo really good land for growing crops of oats, but, pity to tell, weeds were plentiful in a number of places in Iho majority of the. Holds. Tho ragwort (which is regarded by some landholders as anything but a nuisance), tho yarr, and tho Canadian thistle wero strongly in evidence—a fact which leads one to think that ceroul seed from this district ought to be carefully examined before it is iu.ed in the north, where, these weeds, or any of them, have notf yet made their unwelcoino appearance Qtautau was rciched shortly before noon, and after a hurried lunch a drag conveyed tho members and several prejwmen to the Merrivato Settlement. Tho drivo to Clifdon was very enjoyable. En route wo saw that portion of the Merrivnlo Estate which was purchased from the Government about ten years ago, and successfully settled. There are about 50 holdings on lease in perpetuity, of an area of from 100 to 200 acres, and, according to a witness who, was examined the other day, the "tenant* arc doing fairly well. Alost of the allotments had paddocks of oats, and at tho rent charged, from Is 5d to 6s an acre, the holders ought to make a fair living. Furl her on, in the limestone gorge, some of the land has a very warm aspect. H is on limestone formation, and in very good pastoral land. Rabbits are very numerous in this quarter. Tho Wainu caves wero passed without inspection, time being tin important element. At Clifdun the bridge over tho river was generally admitted to bo a fine and very necessary work in tho interests of tho settlers on the west side, me bridge was opened by Sir .1. (5. Ward, on behalf of tho lute Kir John M'Kenzie, Minister of Lands, <ibout five years ago, its erection having coat about £6000. The> main span is 364 ft. From an epiinonce ncir Clifilen wo got a splendid view of the beauty of the outfying country. To tho north were tho Cone Hills, the Wniuu, and Lilburn valleys and tho Otahu Settlement. This settlement is" not altogether a success, but with railway communication it would certainly be improved. To the south \rus tho long wood range, between which and Clifden, on the Wainu flats, whs some fine country dotted here and there with houses. Tho luud is divided into holdings of from 200 to 300 acres, most of it being freehold, and some of il held with tho right of purchase. Mr. M'Korrow, Chairman of tho Commission, regarded tho country with much interest, mid with good reason. Forty-two years ago ho saw it for tho find time, and although ho tiaa seen it several times miico, he w.w very pleased to look upon it ngiiin and | M'v. the changes that huve taken place in that time. Aftor a cup of tea n st.iit was m.ido on tho return journey to Otuutau— a route being taken this time through the hu.«h. The fine bush is a grwil convenience to tho landholders. It supplies them with timber for their hntiMiM. and a ready market may bo found for the remit iiulcr. Tho fresh route enabled the Commission to sod another portion of the aottlcmftiit and purl of t!io Mernvnle K-tate, held by Mews. Ellis Broj. OtoUtau was reached at 0 p.m. This morning the Commbntion held sitting-* at Otuutiui, all members being present. Dennis J. Hoenan, sotllei on the Beaumont Settlement, said bo held 117 acres on leano in perpetuity. The .settlers I found the rat'ai too high to enable them to make a living. Witness paid 3* 3d an aero. Ho woe about eight niilcs ft out tho railway station. IlLs idea was that ton much was paid for tho settlement in tho iirst place. Land in a better position, and equally na good land, had since been bought in tlui district a^ 28s an aero, whereass £2 10a an acre was paid for the. ontato. Other good land was on offer at £1 Is, but was not being token up Tho settlers had been disappointed in the ! quality of tho land, and reckoned that ' Is 8d W(us- enough for it. ilis avcrago yield of oats was 25 bushels to the acre, lie tried wheat ono year, but the results wero unsatisfactory, the aver.ige yield being 15 bushels to tho aero. Itfchard Joseph Casey, another settler on the Beaumont Settlement, and holder of 391 acres, gave .similar evidence Geo. Frederick Toogood, uuothcr tenant of the settlement, said ho took up his land twenty months' ago. About 190 acres wero in English grass; tho remaining 60 ucies had been ploughed and left uncropped. Ho liad taken off a crop of oata, turnip, rape, nnd barley. Tho oats averagod from 15 to 40 bushels to the acre, the barley about 20 bushels to the acre, and tho turnip and rape were modorato crops. Ho had no stock, and had not built a house, but resided with his father on his freehold adjacent. Witness had boon twolve years in tho district. Ho hod 190 acres of flat country. That would carry two dry sheep to tho acre; tho rest of the allotment would carry on 6 phoep to fivo or six acres. It was stony and swampy. He would like to have the option to purclmso the land. Ho could throw up his land nt any time, and if tho Board accepted tho surrender tho incoming tenant would pay a fair valuation. William John Darley appeared for his eon and daughter, who were settlers on the Otahu Settlement. His son hold 404 acres, and his dnughior 1012 acres, both sections being held under leuso in perpetuity. l[is »on paid 2s 4sd per acre, and his daughter 2» 9tl por aero, for ono section, and Is 7sd on another. The land was mostly usod for sheep and cattle. There wero about 1200 sheep and 30 cattle. This ye'dr 130 tons of turnips wore grown as food- for sheep, twclvo tons of artificial manure being used. As a matter of fuel, his son and daughter were carrying on at ft lot«, and would not bo able to continue unless the rent wns reduced. Somo peoplo were leaving tho settlement. Hb believed it would be in tho interests of tho State, to give tho lease in perpetuity tenants the right of purchase Personally ho believed that the peopks could not bo bolter served than they worn by tho proont Southland Land Board, but ho approved of the principle of tenant* having a representative on tho Board. Ho believed in the offorte mado to draw tho pcoplo from tho towns into the country. Why should tho blood all go to the head ; why not let it bo circulated through tho body? At present it was not so, nnd ho was sorry to say that a good deal of the bone and sinew waa drifting there, too. Jlnbbita woro ono of the greatest hindrances to settlement on the Otahu .Settlement; tho settlers got nothing from tho ta&upcrs. A tenant might bo given tho right of purchnso aftor he had occupied liift land for a certain time to show that he was a bona fldo set tier. William Scott, representing hi.s son, who waa a tonqait on Uio Otahu Settlement, said his son held 165 acre*. It. was land of light quality, and was used mostly for stock, while a portion wns eultW vated for oats and turnip*. The tent waa la 9d an acre, There wero 70 «cres

of bush. 110 thought tho Government ptiid too much for tlia estate in tho iir.st pluce. The Government paid 25s an aore for it, and it was not woith more than 12s 6d; it was nothing but a labbit warren. This fact considerably reduced the I carrying rapacity. There was also a great oxpciibo in keeping rabbits down in the spring and hUintner time, although in the winter homothing could bo mado out of trapping. If tho land had no rabbits it would bo worth the rental now charged. Three settlors had been summimed for nol keeping down their rabbits, and ono of them he believed had biirrendeved hi.s holding. Kabbit-iiottiug the ground was expensive, nnd if tho rent wius nor reduced it would certainly a»sibl the settlers if the (iovernmeul would supply them with netting at cheap rates, 110 believed lux .son waa falislied with his leaho in perpetuity tenure. Jlo did not approve of tho puneiplo of revaluation being applied to future leases. Tho lease with the right of purchas>o was a teuiiro he himself favouied. ■lames King, of Clifden, said ho held 472 acres under lease in perpetuity, and tlnee tiections (150 aere.s) with tlio right of purchase, lie was a strong bbliever in tho freehold. It was not fair that tonantß should be 'loaded for all timo for their roads. The payments, winch amount, ed to 4 per rent, on tlio expenditure, should oeaso after a time. Money lent out at 4 per cent, doubled itself ii> 18 years, and therefore at tho end of that time, as tho Government would be iccouped for their original outlay, the loading should ceaso. Three years ago he sold his wool at 3id por lb in Invercargill. and this year he sold it privately at 9d pn." lb. 110 would give the freehold to all Crown tenants, restcififcing the area; be would also give tenants' of Harbour Boards, Education Boards," and so on, tho right of purchase. Robert Tapper, jun., said ho was a sheep and cattle fanner at Clifden, West Waiau. lie had 885 acres under lea&6 in perpetuity, his rental boing about £30 a year. Jlo cultivated oats and turnip* for winter feed. Much of tho land was under bush when he took it up, and ho had denied 200 acrea. 110 wan frightened to clear any inoro on account of the Califoruian thistle The land had taken grass very well. ]f tho local body wero to .strictly enforce the noxious weeds regulations it would press very hard on somo of the settlers. If tho th'istle.s were not regularly cut he was sure tho farmer wouUl havo to go out. Ho would like to havo tho freehold.