FARMERS IN ENGLAND AND NEW ZEALAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LII, Issue 5804, 2 October 1879, Page 5

FARMERS IN ENGLAND AND NEW ZEALAND.

TO THE EDITOB OP THE LYTTELTON TIMES. Sib, —In your leader of to-day (Tuesday), on the position of tenant farmers in England, you hare omitted one factor of great importance—the price of land. There is no doubt the “ land system ” of this Colony is an unfortunate one, and newcomers require to be cautioned against giving extravagant prices for country land, as the price of land in New Zealand will depend upon the price of land in Australia, California, and the Dominion of Canada. The grain growers of New Zealand must be able to compete in European markets with the farmers of the above-mentioned countries, for New Zealand is a grain exporting country, and to do this successfully her farmers must not be handicapped with highpriced land, or they will find themselves almost as badly off as the farmers in England. It is bard to say what the price of agricultural land will ultimately be in Australia, after the struggle with the squatters is over, but in California and the dominion of Canada the finest agricultural land can be bought for from 5s to 10s per acre, how then can the New Zealand settler afford to pay from £3 to £5, and even £lO, which I understand,’ is the price the agents for the land sharks and absentees are asking for land P As to an import duty, or protection on grain and flour, if the present Parliament is un ible to withstand the pressure from "the land-grabbers, they may rest assured it will be swept away in a year or two. How are home industries ever to flourish if we are to have the Corn Laws introduced here? Every penny per bushel Customs’ duty on wheat means one pound per acre at least increased price for the landshark. Again, I say, let purchasers beware of psying too high a price for agricultural land. —I am, &3., Sept. 30. TRAVELLER.