PEARS' SOAP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8821, 3 June 1890, Page 3

PEARS' SOAP.

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THE HON. T. FERGUS AT QUEENSTOWN ON THE LAND QUESTION. TO THE KDITOU. Sir,—The Hon. Thomas Fergus said: " Then ig one subject that I wish to speak on, and it it of very considerably importance, though I cai. only touch on it briefly. It is ouo that has beei hoard of from the extreme north1 to tho south it is the settlement of tho jiobplo on tho lamia Wo have iv this colony a gram', estate consisting of lands in thu hands of tho Crown and in tho hands of tho Natives; wo have lot undei pastoral rental 10,880,410 acres producing n rental of £156,400, and of forest land moro 01 less valuable wo have an area of 10,000,000 aero?, tho great bulk of whbh in tho near future will be fit for settlement; indeed a great deal of ill is lit for settlement at tho present time. There is also a largo quantity that has been nenuired from the Natives, and theio i.i a good deal Btill in the hands of tho Natives which is also fit for settlement. The question is how can wo best briup theso lands into tho occupation of tho pooplo; in other words, how can wo best put the people on the land?." Then further down ho says "our earnest dusiro is to get as many peoplu_ on tho land as possible," and in concluding this paragraph ho says " the Government think that a great deal more should and must be done to open up our lands for settlement;" and in his concluding paragraph, " that wo intend to push on the settlement of the country, and to acquire as much land as we possibly can, and as part of tho policy of pushing on thu works of settlement we intend to open up tho country for settlement." Now all this reads very well, and it's what is wanted to make New Zealand what she should be—one of the most flourishing countries in the world. We have everything to make her so but the will of the peoplp, who in tho first instance are to blame in sending the class of men to represent them in Parliament. The Ministry are but the reflex of tho members of tho House and the members of the people. Tho Hon. Thomas gavo a similar address last year, oud then as now he talked about settling the people on the lands, and up to this in talk it has ended, tho only difference being th".t the Government appear to be in a fog altogether this year: they actually now cannot find out a way to placo the people on tho land fast enough, and it would appear they have only just realised tho necessity of at once settling tho pooplo on tho land—in fact, from tho hou. gentleman's own words, they are without a land policy. Tho only thing is they see tho necessity of at onco settling tho people on the lands, byt they do not know how to do it. Only fancy over 10,000,000 acres rented at 3Jd per acre. They knew how to do that. I take it that it is admitted that the land is the source of all wealth, and it must be also admitted that tho land will not yield up her wealth without being in some way worked or tilled, and this cannot bo done without the aid of the people. Now what the hon. gentleman says is that they want to place the people on tho lands at once. Then tho question arises, Are tho people ready and willing to do their part in making the land yield up her wealth ? The answer must ba yes. I have been in thi3 part of Otago for the last 27 years, and tho whole of that time the people have been asking for land to settle on. I have attended at least 20 public meetings within this period, and have had to do with as many petitions praying for land to be thrown open for settlement. The first concession made was allowing every male adult to tako up 10 acres; next was 50 acres, then 200, then 320, and even now the farmer is restricted to the area ho may occupy. If the farmer is so restricted, why not tho runholder ? What has tho latter done that tho former has not that sach a concession should ro made in his favour? and echo answers, What? I know of two families that have come out from Homo lately, one with a family of 6ix and tho other eight; and both want land to settle on, but cannot get it, at least in this district, where they want it. I do not think there is a section of land within 40 miles of this place open for occupation at tho present time, yet the Government want to make us believe they are so anxious to settle the people on the lauds. There are also a lot of ycuug men in this district wanting land to settle on but cannot get it, and quite recently a number of them have applied under the Mines Act for 50 acres, which is the limit, and iv every instance the runholder has objected, on tha grounds that it will interfere with the workiDg of their runs. It is not the runholder I would blame, but the Government, who should act more and talk less on tho subject. I would suggest to the Government before they try to burst up the large estates and purchase more land from the Natives, that they settle the people on the 20 million acres already in their possession, and which they say they are co anxious to do j and I would further suggest that they at once cut up the lands in areas, taking the lew and high couutry together, md there should be'no area that did not contain some agricultural land, no area to be less than sufficient to carry 2000 sheep, and nono larger than to carry 10,000 sheep, and no person allowed to hold or occupy more than one area, each area to be valued and that to be paid by the tenant, no more or less, and thon advertise throughout Great Br'.tain and Ireland, and I would vouch for it that the population would oe doubled in less than 10 years and everyone prosperous. I know a very groat many run away with the idea that if the runs are cut up and people placed on them, that the people so to speak bake the place of sheep. This is not the case, mcJ every practical man knows quite well'that it is not so. On the contrary, tho carrying 3apacity of the land would bo increased from 10 to 20 per cent., and rather than tho people taking the place of sheep, tha sheep would take the place of the rabbits. At tho last land sale, the land on the west side of the Holyneux, bebetween Speargraas Flat and Coal Creek, was ;old, Messrs Murray, Roberts, and Co. being the purchasers of all but one lot. At the time of the sale, those who were opposing were informed that they were only making it worse for the imsll settlers, as it was their intention to cut the runs up into smaller areas, and after getting the boundaries altered would submit them to auction, which ha 3 been done, and a very jood thing they made out of it. Now, why cannot the Government take a lesson from Messrs Murray, Roberts, and Co. ?

In conclusion, I would point out to every elector that he is answerable for the way our lands are dealt with, and ask him to remember that fact when recording his vote at the next election. Certainly the administration of our lands is the most important function the Parliament and country has to deal with, as there is i nothing but what proceeds from the lands, which in the language of our old friend, V. P., I only wants tickling with a hoe to give iip her wealth.—l am, &c, - Ophir, May 29. John Cole Chapple.