THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NGARUAWAHIA LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5877, 17 September 1880, Page 5

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NGARUAWAHIA LANDS.

The fortnightly meeting of the Crown Lands Board was held yesterday afternoon at which a considerable amouut of business was transacted. Among the several topics which came up for consideration was the withdrawal from sale, at the request of the Government, of the suburban allotments at Ngaruawahia. For a number of years these allotments have been occasionally offered to the public, and as frequently withdrawn, again from sale without the settlers having an opportunity of purchasing. The manner in which the settlers in this township have been treated by a number of Governments is not to their credit. At the first sale of allotments at Ngaruawahia high prices were given, because the purchasers were under the impression that the Government would do everything necessary to make the settlement a success. It is admirably situated for trade purposes, at the junction of the Waipa and Waikato rivers, aud had it received even a small measure of the fair play that the other Waikato townships have enjoyed, would ere now have had a commanding position among all the Waikato townships. But when the few allotments in the township were sold at enormously high prices, the Government at once refused to Sfcll any of the suburban sections, and the result lias been that the little and prettilysituated tpwnsnip has starved, because it had no surrouuding district that could be cultivated. Were Ngaruawahia to be given the same opportunity to progress that Hamilton and Cambridge have possessed, only a few years would elapse ere it overtook •in the race of prosperity its more-fairly treated fellow-townships further up ho country. The last announcement of a sale of these suburban lands was understood to be one made in earnest, and that the allotments would really be sold as advertised. On the faith of the Government carrying out the engagement implied in the advertisement, one settler, a Mr. Schrafft, had resolved to become the ; purchaser of certain sections in spite of all competitors. As a token of his earnestness in the matter, he purchased timber for building- a house, material for fencing, and eveu the trees to be planted in the ground which he intended to purchase on the lothinst. But he was doomed to be disappointed, for the land had to bo withdrawn from Bale by the order of the Government, and the preparations which Mr. Schrafft made to be an active and useful settler means money wasted and hopes blighted. What is the secret influence which is coustantly operating bo hurtfully upon the prosperity of the settlers of Ngaruawahia ? Ic cannot be the jealousy of the other settlements higher up the Waikato, and it the native claims should have been settled with the formal withdrawal of all promises made on behalf of the Government by, Sir George Grey two years ago. Meanwhile the progress of the district 13 retarded, settlement is not only discouraged, but actually prevented, money ie driven out of the district, and the sphere of useful and profitable employment is restricted. It ie time that such foolish play on the part of the Government should cease, for the people of Auckland will not always submit to such costly experimenting with the settlement of their district. Last week the settlers of Ngaruawahia held a public meeting to protest against such unfair and harsh treatment at the hands of the Government, and we hope that they will go on taking every necessary step to wring justice from an unwilling Government until at last success crowns their efforts.