THE CONTRIBUTOR.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1003, 8 July 1879, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE CONTRIBUTOR.

THE CHANNEL ISLANDS LAND TENURE. ("WRITTEN FOR THE AGRICULTURIST.) The purpose I' have in view in placing a sketch of the land tenure of these islands before the readers of the New Zealand Agriculturist is to show them what can be accomplished by industry, thrift, "and the adoption of what is called scientific farming, and how simple intelligence may take the j place of scientific education in matters relating to the cultivation- of the soil and the rearing of stock. Besides all this a lesson may be learned by the comparison of our soils with those of the islands, which is of no small moment to us. These islands are comprised of Jersey, .Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, the area of the first being 26,717 acres ; of the second, 16,005 ; and of the third and fourth, 3376. The rock formation of these islands is mainly granite, and their general elevation from two to three hundred feet aViove the sea. The largest proprietor of cultivated land in Jersey owns about one hundred acres, in Guernsey fifty, and in Alderoey five acres are considered a large estate, while the greatest proportion of owners of cultivatable liind in these islands on'y hold about two acres. Every square foot of these peasant cultivators' lands are turned to account. The somewhat unsightly angles formed by walls or fences are planted with fruit trees, and the small grass plots with apple trees ; while between the potato rows, long before the tubers are dug, is planted the boccoli or beet. The leaves of these p'ants are carefully culled for the cows, and nothing is suffered to go to waste. Cows, pigs, and poultry are kept as save a'ls and all alike for the market. It is stated that Jersey alone sends yearly upwards of L 300,000 worth of potatoes to the London market, besides large quantities of grapes, pears, apples, &c. The cost of raising potatoes per acreis L4O, and it is therefore very evident that these islanders must be possessed of no ordinary industry, sagacity, and thrift, to make this price pay them. Some of these island fanners pay as much as L2OO a year for artificial manures to force their produce forward for the early markets. Their land is in many instances worth from LGO to LIOO an acre, and their horned stock from Lls to L2O per head. Looking at the question of the future success of agriculture in New Zealand, two things present themselves to us—the first is, the division of land into comprehensive por tions ; the second, the ownership of properties as the great natural educators of the agricultural classes. The acquisition, administration, and use of property is the best means of developing the ordinary intelligence and moral qualities of the great majority of mankind. No class can be enslaved without first taking away the rights of property. Do this, and you create for the state a supply of paupers, you institute discontent, you form an army of anarchists, whose practices are against the law and society. We in New Zealand want a land tenure of a similar nature to that of the Channel Islands to render us a contented, thriving, and happy people.