APPLICATIONS FOR LAND

Otago Witness, Issue 1162, 7 March 1874, Page 7

APPLICATIONS FOR LAND

Tl THE EDITOR

Rill- With your permission I wish to bring before the public the manner in which the Government have treated several of the applicants for land during this month. A friond of mine pair! at tho Luud-officc, Lawrence, the sum of £'S7 on the 14th January, when ho applied for laud. >Vs. there was nioio thmi one application, the land was iulverM->L>d for sale. My friend rode 40 miles to attend the Mile ; oa his aniving .•it LawiL'iiuc the morning tho s.de was to take place, he w.is informed that the sale had been postponed until .March. The Gazette containing the notice tb-it tho silo had been postponed wis not published until Wednesday, just two days before thy .sale as advertised in a former Gazette. Now, Sir, had niy fiiend waited until be had seen the Ghetto, "he would not have been intime for the sale had it taken place. When my friend found he would have to ride another eighty miles if hf> wished to compete for this bind, he naturally felt annoyed and madeun his mind to got the deposit money ho hud paid, and lnivo nothing more to do with it. He applied for ib, and was informed that he would have to go to Dunedin for it. Now, Sir, I should like to know if this is the way to use mon, drugging them nil over the Province to get back their own. My own opinion is that the Government do not want tho bind settled upon, or else they would not put men to so much trouble. Hera is another case I know of. At a 1-ind sale held in Lnwtence this month, unions: tho seotions offered to tho public was section 25, Blook 111., Glenlcenicli district, for which there was no offer. A neighbour of mine, after tho sale, went , and examined this section ; ho thought it would suit him, and appliod for it, thinking at tlitisiuno timo that if there should ba nnothor applicant the lm\\ would he oftVod for .sojg at Lawrwcs ;

but to his surprise, on looking over the Gazette of the IStli, he found that this particular section was to be offered for sale at Tapanui — just 40 miles further away. Why, I ask, have they made this change, unless to oblige some one of note, who is anxious to secure it. This change iv the place of sale will cause my neighbour to travel 40 miles farther than he intended if he wishes to compete. This is not the way to get the lanel settled upon. The fact of the Government humbugging men the way they have done will help to keep back settlement, and cause men that would bo good settlers to leave the Province fin disgust, and try their luck elsewhere. — I am, &c, Fairplay. Outrani, February 25th.