COMMERCIAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IX, Issue 2840, 2 March 1885, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

WELUNGTON-MANAWATU railway COMPANY. THE ITEST li*>"D SAIE. Messrs T. Kennedy Macdonald and Co., Auctioneers, Wellington, report:— The first auction sale of the allocated lands of the Wellington, and Manawatu Railway Company took place at the Athenasurn Hall, Wellington, on Thursday the 19th. There wai a rery large attendance, both of country settlers and town residents. The lands submitted to the hammer consisted of about 18,000 acres in the Fitzherbert districtandthe township of Linton. Although great interest appeared to be taken in the sale, the bidding \w exceedingly quiet, and very little business was done. Jhe Bile only realised a little over L2OOO. Considerable disappointment most haTe been felt by botu the directors of the compary and the auctioneer at the unsatisfactory result of the sale. The reasons for this result, as expressed by a number of Fitzhgrberfc residents, were these : In the first place, the terms of the sale were practically cash, and in this respect the company had not taken example from the large land companies in the South Island, who were glad to give ten years' terms at a low rate of interest to purchasers. The present cry for special settlements is also inducing the Government to sell land for such settlements at LI per acre, and giving the members of the settlements ten years' time m which to pay for their selections, n the second place, it is said that the upset prices for both the conntry lands and the township were fixed on a basis for a cash sale that was by no means attractive to those who merely desired to speculate. Ko doubt there is some truth in.these views, as was evidenced by the want ef competition. A number of inquiries were, however, made after the sale in reference to the sections which were pas3ed in. It 13 understood that the company ia likely to make soch concessions to bona fido settlers as will enable them to dispose of the majority of the sections. The importance t-j the city—indeed, to the who'e district—of the early settlement and improvement of the vast areas of'lard belonging to the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company cannot be over estimated, and it is to be hoped that before long every acre will have passed into the hands of practical fanners. The following axe the particulars of the sale : FrrzHERBET Block.—Section 324, 276 a. 2r., at 35s per ac r e, Mr ''combs, Fitzuerbsrt, L4S3 17s 6d; section 335, 307 a., at 30s per acre, Mr Coombs, Fitzherbert, L 537 st ; section 294. 210 a., at 22s 6d per acre, Mr Walker, Fitzherbert, L 236 5s ; section 303, 240 a., at 22s 6d per acre, Mr Walker, Fitzherbert, L 27 0; section 1, 112 a., 3r., 23p., at 40s per acre, Mr Palmerson, Palmerston, L 225 10?. Towsship or IiIsto" —Allotment >"o. 42, j W. Booth, Carterton, L2O ;No 43, G. Leslie, Wellington, Ll6; No. 70, J. H. Morgan, Martinborough, Lls 10s; >o. 13S, W. tfooth Carterton, L2O; No 79, W. Booth, Carterton,; Lls; No. 142, C. Whitehead, Palmerston, 115; No. 143, W. Booth. Carterton, L6O; No. 149, W. Lancaster, Karori, Lls ;"No. 151, D. G. Partridge, Mungaroa, Ll4; No. 202, J. K. Pitt, Wellington, L 25; No. 221. John Plimmer Wellington, L 2 5; No. 222, P. Shields, Wellington, Ll4; Ko. 232, D. G. Partridge, Mungaroa. L 7 10; No. 141, John Plimmer, Wellington, LSO. The total amount realised was L 2054 17s 6d. ABSTRACT OF SALES. Messrs" Fleming and Hedley will sell on Saturday, 7th March, a* their Stores —Properly. On Thurday, 12th March, at the Show Ground, on the occasion of the Bam Fair—Sheep. Mr W. Christ'e will cell on Wednesday, 11th March, at M'Kay's yards—Sheep. On Saturday, 14th March, at his Stores— Junction Hotel Property. Mr A. H. Maude will rell on Thursday, sth March, at M'Kay's Yards—Sheep. On Wednesday,- March .18th, at h ; s StoresStation Property and 17.000 Sheep.