THE EMBARRASSMENT OF THE PROVINCES—ITS CAUSE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4213, 21 September 1874, Page 3

THE EMBARRASSMENT OF THE PROVINCES—ITS CAUSE.

TO THE EDITOR. gXR, The way in which land has been dealt with by the Governments will account for the embarrassment of the Provinces in this island, and I think also of Marlborough and Nelson in the other. The following are the modes, and I think will justify this statement 1. There were many claims to laud by; parties who resided in New Zealand before' regular settlement began. These claims to the extent admitted became only a tax without having contributed one farthing to land fund of Provinces. 2. Mr. Gibbon Wakefield commenced with charging the land with one pound per acre,’ mainly for immigration purposes. This uniform ratei-the right principle—was at the request Of certain persons reduced to ten shillings for one description, and five shillings for another, by Sir George Grey. 3. The New Zealand Company was compensated by the British Government out of New Zealand land, which added to cost of survey, and occasioned other expenses, without yielding any return to land fund. 4. Many naval and military people got land free of cost to themselves, hut attended with expense of surveys, claims for roads, and other outlays, eating into actual sale of land fund. . 5. Volunteers have also had land given them, aud more is still due ; these again have been a drag only on land fund. 6. The Assembly in 1862 threw the land open to direct purchase from the Natives, which will be a serious tax on the funds of this island. In being a party to this act, the colonists, of the Middle Island have caused to he invaded to a serious extent the land fund of this island. A return from the Government showing howmuch land'has been disposed of under the six heads stated would be most usefully instructive. A statement of cost of surveys completed, and estimate of cost yet to be incurred, distinguishing cost of winter from seasonable surveys, would, I suspect, be useful for future guidance. Another showing amount paid the Natives for land, showing from what fund obtained by the Government, would also be very instructive and useful likewise. A debtor and creditor statement resulting would, I believe, show a very small balance, and very fully account for the embarrassed condition of the Provinces iu this island. The Canterbury people settled their laud price at two pounds uniform. The uniformity was sound in principle—it caused the best to be selected, which subsequently led to the inferior being taken at the same rate of two pounds, or to remain on lease until it should become considered of that value. We never hear that the buyers regret the price they have had to pay : the Canterbury Government, the treasury of which is overflowing in riches, whilst making liberal grants for education, to Road Boards, and for numerous other purposes. Fortunately there is abundance of mostvaluable land still undisposed of to private parties in this island. If it were not so, I know not that there would be much use in calling attention to the bygone ; hut as it is,:a clear conception of the mischief thereby occasioned will he a basis for the future. There should he but one price for land, and that should he the price throughout this island. With the decline in value of money, or rate of interest, especially on land mortgages, aud the increased facilities, yet at an early date to he immensely augmented—£3 per acre would not be a larger charge than £2 has been and is in Canterbury, especially remembering the quality of our land. The immediate effect of so'materially advancing the price of land no doubt would he to throw the market into the hands of private land owners to a considerable extent. But if the Government duly foresaw that, they could with such a basis most beneficially and rationally provide this island temporarily with sufficient income to maintain progress in country parts 'consistent with the bold aud wise policy of immigration and public works, the result of which will he a reward of great triumph to those who .inaugurated it,. „ ~ ~. Think of the worst kind of barbarism — descent from civilisation —taking place for generations in the country parts of the British North American Colonies and of the United States, arising out of cheap land, and what the communities of those parts would have avoided had they had a land fund something approaching that of Canterbury. A greater contrast is almost impossible. —I am, &c., v, Samuel Revans. Woodside, September 16.