UNEMPLOYED AND SETTLEMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7568, 20 May 1886, Page 3

UNEMPLOYED AND SETTLEMENT.

TO TnE EDITOR. Sii!,—Mr Brydone's proposal that the Government should clear and aow bush lands is open to the objection that if it would pay, private capitalists would do it. I know personally plenty of men who would do it directly if it would pay. The names of Mr Ormond, Mr Tanner, the Hon. J. Johnston occur to me as men largely interested in the very district Mr Brydone refers to. . ■, However, not to press this too much, let me mention that an experiment is being tried at Pahiatua which will interest your readers. The place alluded to is ten miles south of Woodville, in the very richest parb of the 70-mile bush. A number of sections have been gazetted, varying in area from 4 to 20 acres, and the price from £20 to £70. These can be leased in perpetuity under following conditions: (1) Lease to cost 10s. (2) Government to lend lessee £20 to build house. (3) Government to lend up to £2 10s per acre towards cost of clearing. (4) Lessee to pay no money down, but only make aunual payments of 5 per cent, on value. Now this is of course only a beginning. It may or may not work. I know Pahiatua, and I would say to any handy man, Just read the Gazette of May 0. He can get a fine start without wanting capital, and there is any amount of work to be had at fair rates. Pahiatua is doubling its population'about every three months. lam myself putting.up a pretty big general store there, and am confident of a large trade. I paid £73 for a quarter-acre section about half a mile from centre of town, and wanted it stumped and two-thirds trenched. There were very few stumps, and yet it cost me £20. I am sure two active men could have done it in a week. There is any quantity of work fencing, bushfalling, road making, cutting house blocks, carpentering, brick making. I hope Mr Brydone will read the Gazette of 6th May, and let us know whether it does not in a measure meet his wishes.—l am, etc., A Paiiiatua Resident.

May 18.