A GOOD TIME COMING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9116, 15 May 1891, Page 2

A GOOD TIME COMING.

SALES OF PROPERTY.

If an improved demand for property (says the Southland News) is a sign of increasing pros* perity, those who are interested in Southland have reason to congratulate themselves. Inquiries for farms for some time past have been numerous, and a large number of transactions in this class of properties have taken place, some of the lots being portions of that splendid agricultural tract known as Gladfield, near Otantan. This estate has been cut up into a number of moderate-sized farms, and the price per acre has been fixed at a low figure to ensure sale and settlement by a desirable class of farmers. Sales, however, have not been confined to this portion of Southland, but generally all through the district areas are being taken up rapidly. Government land has, as everyone must know who glances at the reports of the monthly meetings of the Southland Land Board, been taken op largely in moderate sized farm areas, and the fact that private land which for long enough was a complete drug in the market, is now much sought after will show that people are beginning to realise that the wealth [of this part of New Zealand is to be made out of the soil. The record of the private sales appearing below only extends back for a period of four months, and as will be seen upon calculation, it embraces 33 farms of a total area of 6925 acres 3 roods 32 perches. Within the last year one large financial institution doing business in Invercargill has disposed of eight farms of from 200 to 740 acres at prices ranging from £3 to £6 6s, and other firms have numerous properties under lease with pnrchaßing clause?. Inquiries for property are received from as far north as Canterbury, where the drought wrought such havoo last year, and several Obago people have lately taken up their abode in Southland. Money, we are reliably informed, is much more plentiful among agriculturists than it has been for a very long time past; many of them whose properties, » few years ago, were heavily encumbered are to-day free men ; and others who, through unfortunate circumstances, lost everything they had when the general crash came, have since made & fresh start and are now comfortably off. More than one instance could be given of where a farmer has, during the short space of three years, emerged from the bankruptcy court and reached a position of independence, thanks to the reasonable price of land, good crops, and the frozen meat trade. The outlook is most encouraging, and the prosperity that is now extending over the country must, ere long, influence business in the town.

The sales during the past four months have been as follows:—Gladfield estate: Messrs H. Carswell and C0.—173a, lr 7p at £3 15a, 167 a3r 20p at £4 ss, 221 a2r 20p at £4 53,84 a2r 29p at £2 153, 296 ilr lip at £115 a, 256 aOr 20p at £4, 250 a2r 20p at £4. Mr John Dalgliesh— 153« Or 38p at £3 ss, 100 aOr 28p at £3 si, 90a 3r 180 at £4 ss, 60i 2c 28p at £4 ss, 158 a Or 27p at £4 ss, 140 a2r 38p at £3 ss. 120 a3c 12p at £3 ss, 163 ilr 2p at £3 ss. Messrs Tothill, Watson, and C0.—172a Or 25p at £4 5«, 172 iOr 35p at £4 ss. Mabel Hundred (all unimproved), by the Scottish and New Zealand. Investment Company—4o3a Or 23p at £1 ss, 330 a2r 20p at £1 15s, 142 aOr 2p at £1 7s 6d, 150 a2r 18p at £1 7s 63, 153 a2r 30p at £3,124 alr 3p at £2 12a 6ii, 323 a2r at £2 10s, 89a 3r 29p at £2, 352 a2r 24p at £2. Raeborn, Tuturau district, grazing farm, 954 alr 37p, for a total of £2225 ; 161 a 2r, Forest Hill district, for £250. New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company — Hedgehope, 406 aat £4; Winton Hundred, 115 a3c 4p at £3 10s; Jacob's River Hundred, 93a at £4; Campbelltown Hundred, 73a 3r at £1; Hokonui, 200 aat £2 15s.

There is an extraordinary demand for land at the present time in this district (cays the Woodvi!le Gxaminer) especially by Canterbury farmers, who wish to acquire areas of about 300 acres,

A QtJABAtiTKg of Pobity.—"The name Oidbury on any picket of Cocoa Is « guarantee ol parity."—Medical Ann"»l

—Edward the Confessor was the first boys. reign who "touohed" for the King's Evil, in 1058. Tba practice waß discontinued by George I in 1714, - *