HURUNUI VILLAGE HOMESTEAD SPECIAL SETTLEMENT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 9268, 24 November 1890, Page 3

HURUNUI VILLAGE HOMESTEAD SPECIAL SETTLEMENT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Having read in your columns Mr Perceval’s views of the scheme, and results of the same, of the village homestead special settlements, and an account of his visit to the above settlement, will- you kindly allow us, the holders of sections in this settlement, to place our opinions and suggestions before tho public through the medium of your valuable paper? In the first place we beg of Mr Perceval to understand that we have no wish to injure his position as a candidate for the Parliamentary seat for which he is contesting, but quite the reverse, and we regret that be should have paid us such a flying visit, for he had not time between the trains to hear from us whether we were satisfied or not, or to gather any suggestions which might greatly assist him if he is successful at the coming election. We can only assure him that we shall be pleased to see him again; and if he will favour us with another visit, Mr White, one of us, volunteers to drive him from Medbury station, give him a shakedown, and drive him back the next day. Our experience during the past three years clearly shows us that on this settlement, being, as it is, seven miles from Medbury station, and beyond roach by road of a market township, fifty acres is not enough land to enable a man to get a living and bring up a family upon. It is all very well for Government to say it never was intended to do so, but where is the man, worthy of the name, who will submit to being away from his wife and family for six or nine months in the year ? Then, also, in order to cultivate his section, he-must keep at least two horses, and having to cart firewood from the river necessitates a third ; then ho has to keep at least two cows, a few pigs, sheep for mutton, and poultry. Now, when all these are fed', there is but little left to sell for the family; \ and everyone who has kept stocky known well that at certain times they require the man’s attention, aud if the latter is nob daily with them these times pass unnoticed, with the result that his cow runs dry, the family are without milk aud butter, aud he is saddled with, to him, a useless beast. There are many other reasons why a married man’s place to work on is his own home, and we feel sure that anyone with the slightest idea of upmoudtry life will agree with us, and therefore wo need not trespass further on your valuable space with this matter.

To look at our settlement it is a success, and so it ought to be, for each one of us has spent on it all he had three years ago, and all he could earn since, but our actual or financial positions are known only to ourselves and a few, and unless Government will aid us by removing some of the restrictions ’under which we hold oar present sections and will give us the opportunity of acquiring more land, a very short time must elapse before some of us will have to sacrifice our labours of the past few years. Mr Perceval suggests that in order to open up new settlements in Canterbury the Government should purchase land. Then why not purchase land to save this settlement ? There are many acres adjoining it that we understand are reserved for the Midland Railway Company. If Government were to purchase this, the settlers here would very readily rent it on perpetual Tease, and thus their present holdings might be increased and every man would have a a fair chance. There is another and a serious grievance we would call attention to, viz., the want of a means of educating the children. At present there are nine families, with a total of thirty-four children, twenty-two of whom are of school age, and besides these on the settlement there are others living close at band; but as yet we have failed to get anything done by the Board of Education.

Mr Perceval stated figures to show that the money advanced to us was a good investment. We would also draw attention to the fact that in many cases the Government received very nearly £2O from individual settlers, through the Railway Department, for freight on his personal effects before they advanced him £2O towards the cost of material for building his house; and if the amount were stated representing the increase of business done on the railway, to and from Medbury Station, during tho past three or four years, the amount would surprise everyone. Thus it will be seen that in a great measure the money advanced by one department of the Government has been received by another from the settlers themselves. Trusting you will publish these few facts.—We are, Ac., THE SETTLERS OP THE ABOVE SETTLEMENT. Medbury, Nov. 20.