THE LAND HUNGER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 91, 16 April 1908, Page 5

THE LAND HUNGER.

AUSTRALIA'S HARVEST. NEW ZEALANDERS TREKKING. SOME OF THE CAUSES. [from our correspondent.] WELLINGTON, April 16. There is an alarming tendency developing among our farmers to look to Australia as a land for settlement, or at least for the speculative purchase of land. The Darling Downs of South Queensland are at present the centre of interest, and all sorts of rumours ! are afloat as to the commotiooi which ■ the Australian trek is creating among the quiet folk of the backblocks. The Dominion some time ago reported that a party of Masterton farmers had arranged to visit the Downs next June i to select farms, and The Times now alludes to the same or another party as a Hawke's Bay syndicate, with a capital of £175,000. These are disquieting rumours. It is alleged that the following are among the New Zea- , lander's who have lately bought Queensland soil : Mr J. Grigg, of j Long Beach, 8300 acres; Mr Greenaway, of Oroua Downs, 28,000; Mr ; Crowley, Wanganui, 3000; Mr J. F. Partridge., Canterbury, 7200;. Mr Southey, Wanganui, 700; Mr Elliott, Thames, 1000; Mr F. G. Cooper. Palmer ston North. People who affect to make light of this exodus of New Zealanders say that it is only speculation. ' They assert that it is improbable that any farmers will change the comforts of .New Zealand for the trials and drawbacks and fascinations of the Big Continent, and it is said that Mr Greenaway bought his estate at £2 10s per acre and subdivided at £5 10s to £6 15s. This may be so. ,It would seem that the trek may be attributed to some of the following causes: Hostility to Mr McNab's land policy; a yearning for more breathingspace, and the fascination of being able to kick a whole Continent instead of a mere couple of islands; the fabulous prices of New Zealand land and the rumours of a coming slump, which shut that outlet off as dangerous ground for speculation; or a new •confidence in the future df Australia. If the movement1 should result in a fall in the prices of New Zealand lands, that would not be ah unmixed evil, although present holders of course would suffer. New Zealand might well be God's Own Country, for it is fetching top price just now.