LAND FOR SETTLEMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1465, 13 December 1879, Page 17

LAND FOR SETTLEMENT.

TO THE EDITOR.' Sir, — Havingnoticedin the Daily Times of the Bth mat. a letter from "A New-comer," complaining that the supply of Crown lands at a moderate cost does not appear to be equal to the demand likely to arise from the present and anticipated influx of immigrants possessing means and a desire to settle in Otago, I beg tD state that there many thousand of acres in Southland open for application under the aystern of deferred payments, and a fair quantity for immediate purchase. The quality of this land — more particularly that on deferred payments — is equal to any in the Australasian Colonies. For all-round agriculture — i c., for growing root crops and grass, as well as cereals — I question whether it can be equalled, taking a successive series of seasons. As by the daily increase of population the consumption and production of meat will be more equally balanced, the superior value of beef and mutton producing land will assert itself. The greater part of the unsold land in Southland enjoys the further and most important advantage of ready and cheap transit for produce to the seaboard, the district being intersected by railways. Travailing from Dunediu to Southland is generally termed " goiog South,'" an expression which inclines to the belief that the climate is more severe. It may not, therefore, be inappropriate to mention that the land I refer to as open for settlement, lies most of it considerably to the north of the latitude of the Taieri, none of it south, and at least from 16 to 25 miles due north of the Clutha. — I am, &c, Wai/mb H. Pearson, Commissioner Crown Lands. Crown Lands Office, Invercargill, December 10th, 1873.