Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 1893.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIX, Issue 18, 22 January 1895, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 1893.

Saturday's Christchurch Press contains the first of a series of descriptive articles, by a special reporter of the paper, on the state of settlement at Cheviot. The property was bought from the trustees of the late Mr. W. Bobinson in April, 1893, for the sum of £260,220, and it consists of 84,755 acres. Pending survey the land was leased for grazing in large blocks, and now the whole of the land except a little over 3000 acres has been let or sold, The article seems to be writton in a perfect spirit of fairness. The Christchurch Press is, of course, an . Opposition journal, but the reportor very properly let politics alone and wont about his work without any: bias whatsoever. The roads through the estate have been chiefly made by the unemployed on the co-operative system, and the reporter says that most of the work has been very well done, though there are portions which a Koad Board overseer who placed any value on his reputation would refuse to pass. The fault is not so much in the workmen as in the supervision, as in places very inefficient provision has been made for getting rid of surface water. In one place an expensive and needless cutting has boen made, where slips will always come down after heavy rains, and other blunders have been made, but on the whole tlio roudmaking does not appear to have beejj badly done. The total cost of roads so far has been £14,287, and of surveys and administration £7963. A good deal in the way of gravelling roads is necessary before the winter comes on, and complaints are made aji to delay in accepting tenders. The dwellings .erected by the settlers arc of the most vafjfjd description, and according to the report many of them show that the builders had norther tho capital nor the experience necessary for success. Some of the larger holders have good wooden houses, and a iiow of tho smaller men -are well housed, but many of the Bottlers ape living with, their wives and families under canvas or in tenements roughly constructed of wood and iron. There are also a few homely and comfortable looking sod wharea. There are few

properly built chimneys, but lately good bricks have bean made on the estate, and can be sold at about half the cost of obtaining them from Christchurch. It is pleasant to know that most of the settlers have made gardens, aud that vegetableß and fruit trees appear to thrive]well There are about 1500 or SiOOO acres under oats, the bulk of which which will run from 20 to 30 bushels per acre, and attempts have been made to grow wheat, but owing to heavy rains they have not been successful, except in one place near the Waiau, where the return ia expected to be about forty bushels to the acre. The grass suffered a good deal from dry weather, but the recent rains have improved it, and the sheep, though they have suffered a little from footrot, are on the whole looking well. On the whole the rvport is satisfactory, and it is to the interest of everyone in the colony that the Cheviot settlement should turn out well, well. The settlers, however, have serious difficulties to face, remoteness from market and scarcity of fuel and timber for fencing and building. Afttr a year's occupation it is too early to say whether the scheme will turn outsuccessful or not. It was a risky venture into which the Minister of Lands, went with a light heart, to quote M. Emile Ollivier ou a still greater occasion. It is too soon to boast of success, but if it should come Mr McKenzie will deserve sincere congratulations from political friends and opponents.