"THE PROMISED LAND."

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 25, 30 January 1907, Page 8

"THE PROMISED LAND."

AMERICANS ENQUIRING ABOUT NEW ZEALAND. A HUGE BUDGET OF LETTERS. "Half a dozen of us are thinking of settling in tho ' Promised Land,' " ran a passage in a letter sent from a village in the United Statos to Mr. T. E. Donne by the last mail. Altogether about 1500 persons wrote to the Departments of Tourists and Industries, some seeking information about New Zealand's pleasure arid health resorts, and others desiring facts about land and labour. j This morning a representative of the Post glanced through a formidable st^ck of letters. Selecting tiiem at random, the examiner could see that tho writers had not spent time and money in postage merely for the pleasure of worrying the officials here. They ask many questions — one man alone puts fifteen "cnte" quaries — and the answering "tFIQ' be a &boHr of some magnitude, but the interrogations are never trivial. Obviously there are solid men in the States and in Canada, who are turning their eyes to a " better land," which, tb.> advertisements say. is New Zealand. But they are not Tash; they have dollars, some of them thousands of dollars^ but they have no "money to burn." They are looking be£ore_ tney leap, and therefore .request explicit details abcrat the land, the climate, the people. Here is a typical mifieivc : — " I have jnst read a very glowing description of New- Zealand, and it presents a very bright .and beautiful picture, but does not mention any objectionable feature. Now, if you have a country with no disadvantage, and have everybody hapjjy and contented, I for one want to be- one of you. I have never known or heard of a place yet but which had some bad feature. Not that apch would deter me from locating where' buc*i exists, but I would simply like to know what to expect. Therefore, I wish to obtain reliable information : (1) As to price, quality, terms, proximity of agricultural land to railway which is open for settlement. 2. Price *ud grade of farm horses, stock cattle, sheep, and hogs. 3. Pnceof farming implemonte, building material, the kind of fu«l used, and price of same. 4. Is land for settlement level or hilly, open or limbered? 5. What, are the kinds of fruit and vegetables that grow? 6. What would be the more profitable- there : diversified fatmiag, stock raking, truck gardening, or a specialty of frtrit and chickens? 7. What are the average prices of chickens and eggs? 8. Is it a g«od country for wild game, and have you game laws? 9. Ha\e you lumbering and mining districts? 10. What are the wages of mechanics and farm labour per day or month ? 11. What are the taxes on real and personal property? If your printed matter relative to that country does not include answers to the above ({ueations, please write me a personal reply, for men of different occupations here are interested. We would also like a sajnpje copy of one ox more of your leading newspapers." "I am extremely aDxkras to return to a climate where life w^ worth living," plaintively writes a Britisher settled in Canada. "The hail stones during the last three summers have about put me out of business," declares a Colorado farmer. Indeed many agriculturists of the United States and Canada appear very eager to get to a land witli^ a rea- ! aonably good climate. A few also wish to settle in a soil where they will not be afflicted by pests that torment man and beast. Among these enquirers are men with 10,000 dollars,, 25,000 dollars, and so on. Some have large families, ranging np to a dozen children, and the parents seem to be moneyed folk. Altogether New Zealand's prospects for securing Americans of a good type are -very bright.

It is fair to say that the wood blocks of the city are watered with some persistency by the City Council men, but water on wood blocks is a poor palliative for the street dust and refuse on a windy day. What is needed is careful swooping of the blocks continuously, instead of the casual process /at present pursued. Lambton-quay and other chief thoroughfares have been deplorably dusty and dirty to-day, and tho germs of many a future harvest for throat and nose specialists have been forced upon scores of protesting citizens this blustry January day. Henry S tret ton Izard surrendered himself to-day for sentence on charges of embezzling moneys entrusted to him for investment, but in consequence of Mr. Justice 'Cooper's not having arrived from Sydney, passing of sentence had ] to be deferred, and prisoner was taken into custody by the gaoler and lodged in the Terrace prison. Yesfce'rday the Conciliation Board visited several printing bouses of the city which are concerned in the letterpress machinists dispute. On the 11th February the board. will leave Wellington for Wanganui, Patmerston, and Napier, to take evidence at those centres in tho same dispute, after which a final sitting will bo held in Wellington. Next Monday the board .will consider its recommendations in tho flaxmillcrs' dispute, with a view to filing them a d*y or so afterwards.