THE VILLAGE SETTLEMENT SCHEME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7787, 5 November 1886, Page 6

THE VILLAGE SETTLEMENT SCHEME.

A meeting of pereone interested !„ «. lage settlement soheme was held evening in the Foreetera , Hall it yeeterd Koad. There was a large atteiW*" B*,,"**8 * ~" ** difficulty was experienced in nr Booia chairman, and eventually Mr W D ln ß • was elected to the position. ' a °<»lihan. Mr. Lundon, haviog stated m. 4. , secured the Forests' Hall for th.? he W meeting because^ had fear ft rt Temperance Hall would not be 1* hat «>• for the purpose, wer,t on to sneak # J? 00 * mediate subject of the meeting « , he >«■ at length the village settlement n,. eXplaiuill « the Government, and detail^/rt P Mla of tions necessary to be coniplL taking up sections of land Mr i th °a address was in great part a an< V« of that previously delivered in /L epttiti perance Hall upon the subject anri Temin our oolumns, so tbat it is not n«t reporte< here refer to it in detail. He r.T 8 *0 had jubt visited the blocks nd J tb,t he settlers well pleased with the lanrlT" 1 the ohogen, and he was now about t,l* 7h| * eeleotion the Auckland endowment 7? fo ' kitere, Hokianga—a block of land „ an *- the Taheke river, and of first ' Dg ne soil. Of the three endowment from the Onehunga, Parnell and a?" 1 Corporations, he considered that tv ~° ckl and had belonged to Paruell containedl tl Wh > land, thougn the Auckland endoL >' an excellent water frontage and ** that account extremely valuable W tu ° 8 were also five sections on th« « here raka blook, which still rernJn!. " k »" for settlement, whilst the Victni-; Tr Opeil Block was now to be offered th. i • """J last-mentioned area being „,,! ? Ind >« good. Though the printed regu £n?!'s not contain any reference to them ? dld Government were willing to make ' tlle eion in favour of the wives and oh^ OnCeß " selectors, by paying their J , ,? ground. He wished this to be distil understood; he was pre.ent at th ! «" 7 Hot.l when Mr. Ball.nce i ngtrt ° M Ut Tole that this concession should be „, ', i' With respect to the 23 section K!? , ahue Valley, Mr Ballance, actin I*' his own responsibility, had these i 7? voted for the use of intending »et)-1.~ notwithstandinthatan vented their being interfered with. Mr Lam? was not altogether pleased that the cit» authorities had put the full price UDonth Auckland endowment. The Government k 5 voted £168,000 to open up lands beH? and of this sum £133,000 had been allouei to the provincial district of Auckland Mr Luudon then at great length described the various block*, the modes ot communication. etc, and the conditions necessary to becom ing a settler, and spoke of the advantages to be derived in taking up sections under tha Homestead Act. He said that he had re ceived a letter from Mr. Mitchelson mi which was as follows :— ' M*»oakihia.—Plenty of gum at K»fr.™ .«j Tntumoe, and also at th, head of the oJuJk? which is all Government land. 1 h<, wZatESuS the Oukum«ro* land* are rally better in the country, aud it is only a question of a Jew years when the Northern railway win ron throng the M*Dg» abia Valley. The wUo,« 0! the Mann, kahla land is all really good, and any special se u>. men ta that may be formed in that locality caanot'fifl to bo successful, as the quality of the land cannot be surpassed. Mr. Lundon resumed his seat amidst loud applause. Mr. K. Bradley addressed the meeting fa support of the scheme. He had visited Herd's Point and the Punakitere Block, ind found that every word which Mr. Lundoa had said was perfectly true. (Cheere). In answer to questions, Mr. Lundon said that with respect t j the £20 which the Government proposed to advance for the building of a house, the settlers were not bound down to erect a house of any parti* oular kind. If a settler gave an order on the mill for timber the Crown Lands Com* missioner was bound to honour the order provided that he had been satisfied that the timber would be taken on to the ground, There were two mills at Whangarei, whose propietors were ready to advance timber •receipt of an order from the Crown Lands office. With reference to the carriage 0! furniture, eto., the Government paid the freight of half a ton per adult; all over that being charged for in the ordinary w»y, Considerable amusement was caused by the conduct of an opstreperous person who in? sisted upon asking a question as to the nafctw ral products of the volcanic soil, and who, not being satisfactorily answered, from hil point of view, abruptly left the hall. On the motion of Mr. J. M. Grace, it was resolved, "That this meeting approves of the village settlement scheme of the Hon> John Ballance as explained by Mr. Lundon, and that those present are willing to put down their names for such sections as are available," Votes of thanks to Mr. Lundon and to the chairman conoluded the proceedings, IBY TELKGKAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Thursday. The regulations for the establishment of the Village Homestead Special {Settlement AllO ciations appears in to-night's Gazette. Each association must contain not lees than twelve members, and they may arrange with the Government for a blook of land upon deposit ing 9s on behalf of each member. On approval of the block, the Government will carry out the eurvey. The land selected shall be held on perpetual lease for the fint term of 30 year*, and for subsequent terms without right of acquiring freehold. The rental is to be based on the capital value of the land, but not less than £1 an acre, and no lease will be issued until the first half* year's rent is paid. No allotment is t> be more than 50 acres, and married men will have preference. Each member of the association will be required to occupy his section, and to make permanent improvements, which are defined in the regulations.