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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 2, Issue 103, 10 September 1859, Page 3

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PEOPOSALS FOR TWO "SMALL FARM SETTLEMENTS" IN THE RUATANIWHA PLAINS. I propose that fifteen thousand acres be set aside as two small farm i-ettlcments, to be divided as follows : —One of 10,000 acres, and one of 5,000 acres, — to be subdivided thus, viz. : — 1. That 10,000 acres be surveyed and laid off as follows : — 160 town lots of i an acre each } comprising IGO suburban lots of 12 acres each ) 2000 acres. And 160 rural allotments or farms of 50 acres each. — 8000 acres. "j I would have the town and suburban lots chosen in the best place adapted for a town — central of courses — whilst the 50 acre farms should surround the suburban allotments. E.ich purchaser of a 50 acre farm to pay £31 55., when he will have a receipt for the money and a land order for 1 town lot, or \ an acre \ 1 suburban lot or 12 acres f Total,— And 1 rural, or farm allotment of I 62& acres. 50 acres ) Now, as I have known people on arrival selling thair land through not knowing its proper and perspective value, I would strongly recommend, that the town and suburban lots be not surveyed for sale at present, but permitted to remain as a common pasture ground for the use of the 160' farms in one block of two thousand acred for ten years. , :- ■ , „,,• • - ! To be then divided and surveyed, into. £ acre townlotsfand 12 acre' suburban allotments. ..To be balloted for by the owners only of the farm' lots. , . • . . I throw out this suggestion, as judging ifc best suited to the.class of individuals, with whom I would propbse to people this, settlement. Of whom more anon. '2; I would now advert to the block containing 5,000 acresy— to be divided thus—

4,000 acres to be subdivided into 20 acre farms, viz. : — two hundred farms of 20 acres each. — Total, — 4,0^0 acres. TMS'reß'emng' 19&1K acres "as "common pasture 'ground, for ten years,. 4o be then surveyed off into '25 40 acre farms, to be then ballotted for by the -holders of the 20 acre farms. "" Each purchaser of a 20 acre farm to pay £12, 10s., for his farm with the right of pasturage over 1000 acres, for ten years, and at the end of that period a chance in the ballot for a4O acre farm. In other words he is^paying vsb. per annum for his right of grazing, over 1000 "acres besides his ballot ticket, and chance of a 40 acre farm. N. B. — This class should be allowed 3 years to pay their money, being also restricted in the sale of their land -which is not transferable till that period has expired, or the money paid. And provi- : ;ded any one shall sell his 20 acre farm to another ,in spite of this regulation, the party so purchasing this land from a new settler, shall not be alloweji? to occupy the ground for -3 years, and ■until government is paid. .^ THE PROPOSED SETTLEKS. •; I would now turn to' the individuals who are proposed to form these 2 agricultural settlements, %Hct' ( I* WouM ' here wisH to explain why I would restrict them in any way. My reason is formed from experience, and I say it is for their own good, for I would have an entirely agricultural population. 1. Tho class I would propose as settlers, are the middle class or respectable small-farmers at i; home ; many of whom, if the case was plainly set before them, and the advantages of respectable and suitable emigration properly advocated, would avail themselves of this chance ; many of them have a great desire to become landholders, in place of leaseholders, and, were a suitable agent sent home to arouse this class to see emigration in its proper light, I have not the slightest doubt of success, and the introduction of a body of respectable, steady, persevering, practical farmers, who would .willingly accept the chance of mating a new home in this counißy. Somet ; are more able to afford it (and perhaps have family. -T&Sfchose I would allow 125 acres or two shares provided they, wished it. These on arrival would at once be put ' in possession of their 50 acre farms, for as practical agriculturists, I would avoid all ground for uncertainty as to their choice of land. But by balloting immediately, let them at once have their 50 acres each to commence upon, and until such a movement could be made they would be located in emigration houses or barracks provided for the purpose — of course, finding themselves — ( for house-room is the chief requisite to the newly arrived settler.) By having only one object in view, viz. : — the settling on his 50 acre lot, the settler would not hesitate as to what he had to do, whilst if he had his town, suburban and rural lots all at once, time would be wasted and money spent before his mind was made up which to choose on for a horne — (I have seen the evils resulting from this before,) whilst those who turned their attention to dairy farming, would have the advantage of the run or common grazing ground forthcir cattle. My chief object is to have the farmer put in possession of a farm as soon as possible without any other tiling to distract his thoughts. A farmer who spent the chief part of his existence in farming, is not fitted for a town life. But let him once get his firm under weigh and bis homestead thriving, and he will soon make money. And at the end of ten years he will have ! the means wherewith to improve his town and 1 suburban allotments. Whilst, again, if he is tired of farming, he can then turn his views towards | erecting on his town lot or his suburban lot, and selling his farm advantageously if he wish. 2. I have no doubt many of the small farmers at home would gladly embrace this opportunity, and along with them a second class, viz.: — the ploughmen and farm- servants, many of whom [.would willingly emigrate, but are prevented from want of means. These men would be the bone •and sinew of a new settlement, and I would offer them terms for their acceptance, as above, viz. : — ■twenty acre farms, &c. Almost every one of the 'small farmers could bring out one of these labourers with him under agreement, and to prevent any quarrelling or disagreeable results, the agreement might be so worded that the employed either stay with his quondam employer, or if he get another, that he secure him the payment of his pro.missory note, government would of course arrange Jill this satisfactorily. And on landing they also (that is, the second class) should be put in possession of their twenty acre allotments or farms. As I before noticed, these should be allowed three years to pay for their passage and farm ; but, mean while the farm is not transferable till all is paid. All agreements made at home by parties bringing out others, (as a farmer bringing out a labourer) should be held as binding in the Colony, and the pai-ties mutually protected by government. No land jobbing to be allowed in this country. — rXo prevent-this being turned into a speculation, jio 'land shall be ' sold to any but settlers coming from home. But, of course, this would not hinder other settlement!) being made for small farmers on the same plan. For if people here were allowed to buy allotments, all the best land would soon be picked out, and tha balloting also would be.jUnfair and unjust. Thus a twenty acre fanner or labourer would be,left at liberty either to settle on his farm and work to an employer in the neighbourhood or go elsewhere to a station, or cultivate his own land. \Yhi<>hever way he did choose, by perseverance and economy he would soon pay for his farm and passage. ■ r N. B. — Ido not wish free emigrants to be b-ought out by this plan, but hard-working men, willing to pay if they* had it, and who would soon earn a conaj>etence an the colonies. : . In order to ensure respectability, .the agent sent home for the purpose must be a thoroughly practical man, and an old settler, acquainted with the character and ways of thinking of the people to whom he is to address himself. .. He must also Have a practical knowledge of the different kinds of labor, and tbe-warious ways of living and earning a ; livelihood. in New Zealand, in order to be able to give a plain unvarnished statement of ways and means' ; in New Zealand. He must be able to explain th^ya^ious employ menta* the wages, erigatjeinerttsf &c, of New Zealand. He must not

be a theorist only, (for some old settlers are onlytheorists,) but a practical man, addressing them as one of themselves. ' To whom an annual salary; should be given^nd his expenses, (that is, ' : -mC t actual expenditure*'only whilst agent, or acting for the Government.) For the ensurance of the comfort- of the intending settlers, the agent ought to accompany them out, and see them comfortably settled in their new homes; when, from knowing them all personally, and their different circumstances and views, he would be better able to advise and look after them than strangers, for it is a'strang© feeling, (that overcomes the stoutest,) to be landed in a new country, without a friend to advise, and asking advice here and there, whilst^he means are melting away that might be better expended on their forms. Besides, it is only right that the person who brgjaght them out, should be with them on landing^as things, when left to the management of others, at this end of the world,*might through inadvertence or carelessness, be found to be opposite to what the agent said and promised at the other side of the globe. It is only by a thorough compliance with all the details of this plan, that it will be successful. But if it were tried it could not, in my opinion, fail of complete success. We would thus have the satisfaction of poiHssing a class of settlers who would be an ornameiip-and Ispst *° an y co ' lony. This is no chimeraffbut the^result of years of thought on the Bubject } and proposed by me years ago. - BOBEBT DONAI3)SOIT«>

"To the Editor of the Sawkis Bay Herald. Sir,—^lt has been a matter of very considerable surprise to me, that altho' several of our townsmen tendered for tlie erection of our Public Buildings, not orie.^tender has been accepted. The information we have upon this matter is that all tenders, save one, are rejected, as being above public estimates^ accepted tendej^for the erection of Government Offices being that of Mr, Smith of Welling"Eprif^pf late of W^Uafigton: " This gerifcleman,* I believeis not now in a position to carry his tender into effect, and matter& are now, I understand exactly as they were before Mr. Smith's tender was accepted. Permit me to observe that I have no more personal interest in one party having the contracts than another, but I certainly think that there are men actually settled in the province, who are honest, and competent enough to tender fairly and economically. With this conviction I cannot consider that our builders have been encouraged, and until we have strangers who can erect the buildings satisfactorily for less than our townsmen* tenders, I cannot be convinced that they have been justly served. I don't believe in that economy which seeks in other provinces either for skill or labour, when they can both be had at home at a fair value. We have now several carpenters idle — too many for a small place like ours, and if they continue to arrive in the same proportion as they have lately done, without better prospects, onr province will soon lose that favourable character for employment it has so long deserved. Our members of Council were all elected because they were old colonists, well known and respected ; aud precisely for the same reasons our carpenters and builders, who are old colonists, well known, respectable and competent, are deserving of the same courtesy and confidence and have a right, when not exorbitant in their tenders, to a precedence over any extraneous competitor. I am, Sir, Yours &c, Peesonite. Napier, | Sept. 1, 1859.