THE TRADESMEN WERE SOLD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1266, 4 June 1896, Page 37

THE TRADESMEN WERE SOLD.

Melbourne, May 80. The troubled in connection with the village settlements appear to bo unending. They have boon long recognised as a disappointing failure so far as the achieving of the object for which they wore established was concerned; but had they stopped at failuro ruattors would not have been so bad, But it now appears that _ the paternal solicitude and tho readiness to grant assistance displayed by successive Governments have led confiding tradesmen into granting unlimited credit, for recently tho Government were presented wiUi a little bill for .£2OOO claimed by storekeepers as compensation for goods supplied to settlors. Tho Government, however, refuse _to acknowlodgo any responsibility, churning that tho storekeepers ought to havo known tho circumstances under which tho settlers were placed on the land, and that only a certain amount of money was advanced by tho State. It appears that they allowed tho settlors unlimited accounts at fancy prices in tho hope that tho Government would pay most of tho money owing them, duo from thoso who abandoned the settlements and sought work elsewhere.