MOERAKI.

Otago Witness, Issue 537, 15 March 1862, Page 3

MOERAKI.

(From the Otago Daily Time/.}

On His Honor the Superintendent passing through the town of Hampden in the Moraki District, he received a Deputation consisting of Messrs. Leggatt, Thompson, Spiers, Mooivol, Young, &c, who presented a memorial signed by n considerable number of ilockowuers and freeholders, pointing out the peculiar disadvantages to which the District was subject from the want of a Jetty in Moraki Bay, and a road connecting the shipping place with the main North lino, — hoth of which disadvantages could he remedied at n cost of only £1,800, and they adverted to the f.ict that the revenues of the Province had received no le«s a sum than £10,000 from the sale of land in the District. They adverted also to the enhanced value to future sales»from these necessary facilities being accorded, — and especially to the large shipments which would take place "from tho interior, at this the nearest and best Port

His Honor having attentively listened to the observations of the Deputation, assured them that the Government were fully alive to the importance of the communication which had been made, and that it would receive, as it deserved, their serious attention. He informed them that on his return from the Oamaru he would make himself personally acquainted with the Hants of tlie I) strict, b_\ investigation on the spot, — mid suggested that iv addition to the memorial which he hud received, tho District through their representatives should bring the matter before the Provincial Council, and he had no doubt that the interests of the memorialists would receive that consideration which the fine District through which he had passed was entitled to receive.

Allusion was then made to the difficulty experienced by the freeholder of limited moans obtaining land under the present system of dividing the country into large sections of SO to 100 acres, instead of 40 or 50 acres by which their fine agricultural country — well watered and v.-ell timbered — was passing beyond the reach of the agricultural settler.

His Honor entirely agreed in the views taken by the Deputation— he had already given instructions to the Survey Department to divide the land into smaller sections. He expressed his conviction that the practical working of tlie present s. -stem was utterly subversive of the original intention of every facility for the man <.f Imi ted means obtaining land at a reasonable price, and in small allotment*. He adverted to the inevitable tendency of the system to dcstioy the at tract ie n of the country to the laboring man, and the settler of small means, and assured the Deputation that success could only result from combined action and respectful representation. If a grievance existed, it was a duty they owed to themselves and their families to make itknown, in order that it might be redressed. If they were indifferent, they might not expect an over-zeal from any Government.

His Honor expressed his regret at finding this fine District, so peculiarly ndaptod for agricultural occupntion, passing into private bauds, and assured tlie Deputation that as far as he was personally concerned, and he thought he spoke the opinion of the Government nlso, every possible means should be adopted for securing the possession of agricultural land to the agriculturist. The Deputation then thanked llh Honor for the considerate attention they had received, and retired.