THE MOA FLAT SALE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3183, 19 April 1872, Page 2

THE MOA FLAT SALE.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir—The latest phases of this question, a* reported in your issue of the sth inst., leadL people to enquire as to the power of the Waste Lands Board.

If their proceedings in respect of this transaction be a criterion, then I may safely assume that they are virtually an irrespon-' sible body, acting in defiance of all law oir comindn sense, and sacrificing the public estate according to their whims and caprices. The manner in which this memorable transaction was handled by them shows a, truly lamentable degree of vacillation and want of the most ordinary business capacity^ coupled with an utter contempt of public opinion. " : . In the first place, this sale—if we are ta believe the statements of the members of: the Executive—was agreed upon under certain conditions, and within prescribed limits. We find the Waste Lands Board breaking: through these limits, and scattering the coibditions to the winds.

Then a meeting of the above body was? held on the 15th of January last, and 1950" acres were agreed to be reserved from the operation of this sale, impliedly -with, the object of affording the residents an oppotw tunity of settling on it, Messrs Reid, Dancan, and Hughes supporting that course— the member for the district, Mr Bradshaw, for reasons best known to himself, declining;, to take his seat at the Board. Next we find a case agreed upon by Mr ClarkeV agents and the Board, to be submitted to Mr Justice Chapman for his decision. A few days afterwards the affair was againi re-considered, and the resolution affirmed at the meeting of the 15th January rescinded. —Messrs Duncan and Hughes supporting the, rescindmont—thus virtually handing overr the 1950 acres and 2000 acres, in addition tc* the 45,500 acres, in fee simple to Mr Clarke.. The member for the district was in this instance, as usual, conspicuous by his absence from the meeting. As the legal aspect of this unfortunate, business was amply illustrated through the? medium of your columns, I will, with your permission, point out the baneful effect itwill have on the future progress and prosperity of this portion of the Province.

In the first place, Mr Clarke will have the command of ten miles of the river frontage, including nearly all the available agricultural, land in his runs. Secondly, the settlers now located on Moa Flat will be hemmed in, to the river ; all egress to pasturage cut off-— without which it is well known settlers, irt. the interior have no chance of living—ancL ultimately will be compelled to sell out;. Thirdly, that having obtained the freehold-of: the frontage of his run, he will virtually hold, possession of the remainder as securely as if ifc was purchased at Us Sd per acre. Such *s. now a specimen of the suicidal policy pursued by the Provincial Government of thisProvince.

The area of available land for settlement in this sale, together with the Island Block,, would support at least 100 famil es in comfortand independence; and if we averaged five individuals to each family, we would have a population of 500 instead of two or three shepherds. The question naturally arises whether it would be more to the interests of the Province to have that number of a population settled than the land converted into a, wilderness or sheep walk. Would it not be, a more common sense policy to make these* lands in the midst of a population available for the immigrants now being brought to our shores, instead of sending them to suck places as Stewart's Island, Waikawa, Catlin's River, &c. ? tf such, is the line of policy to be followed.

Argus,