Wellington, 22nd October. MR SCGBIE MACKENZIE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1875, 28 October 1887, Page 16

Wellington, 22nd October. MR SCGBIE MACKENZIE.

The «i€,mber for Mount Ida has just returned frenn a week's trip through the Taranaki district. He Snforms me that he was astonished and delighted with the magni£cent grazing country through which he passed. Although in an agricultural sense the Middle Island is much •superior to the Norfcfc Jsland, it cannot, in Mr Mackenzie's opinion, bear the slightest compari•aon to the latter for purposes of pasture. Mr Mackenzie doubts if there is in all Australia .such a prolific grass country as Taranaki. He paid a visit to Mr Bryce and Colonel Trimble, and found those gentlemen fimployed on their farms. They did nob seem to lie in the least; degree dispirited by fcl.eir defeat. Mr Bryce expressed it hope that tfce new Government would ■carry out a vigorous policy of retrenchment, ami Twwble asserted fftcft so long as thn work of lionesfc legislation and gw] government was proceeded \\\il\ he was quite contented to iremaiti eulside the hoiked urciia of polities. October 23.

LAND ACQUISITION.

'Sir G«or;{0 Grey is pretty coii/jultmt of getting his Land A.c<iuisifci<iu JCitl turning Ib.-.: House this sfcKsion. lint htt ii nfraid that. .tfe« Council will not expedite the measure passing .into Jaw. He informs me- thai' Ministers art! favourably indined towards it, am? he thinks they will assist him iv Bushing tuo wasum through. Assomeof j your KiariiTS lanyhiiWAVgot.tfn the exact nature \ of the bill, the foilowii;^ trief abstract of the ■ measure and its object should $cove of interest :— . The bill empower* the county councils or roadi boards to make recommendations to tfye Gover- , e>or for t,ho purchase of auy rural land tikey may <leeni suitable for farm atlot»jjfljits, and also <&c. acquisition of any suburban land deemed suit- \ able for cottage allotments. 3?he Governor •shall rem.it every recommendation received from , any local authority for *eport by the Surveyor- 1 general aud the -commissioner, and sbaHfchen .refer these reports *to ,a board consisting^ of at least three members specially ap-. pointed for the purpose of considering such iepoit», which, sitting in open court, shall take | «uch .evidence as it may fleem necessary as to^ the suitaV'lity of the land contained in. each ffecomuisud.kt.ion for the purpose to which it is proposed to appropriate ir, aud as to the value of "the said laud ; an£ Jipon receipt of such reports the Governor lnny, S'ifcb the advice of his Executive Council, give .effect to any such ffecomrhendation if he thinks <&$ t and purchase or acquire any such lands uuder t;h<J provisions of tfcbis act, but shall not in any way f>e compelled to do so. The Govemor-in-Council m#y £uthorise the Colonial Treasure* from time to tims to issue land bonds for any sum not exceeding the! •total sum agreed or awarded te i»e paid for any fland purchased or taken under the authority of »this act, and may deliver such bonds ia payment for the land to the owner thereof, or may dJapose ©f such bonds by public tender to any person who ; m&ydesireto purchase them. Regardingthe ques-| tion of valuation,, <the Governor, on behalf of her j Majesty, may take any Crown lands, or may contract with any owner of private -land in any' part of the colony for the purchase 'thereof atj any price not exceeding the valuation made of* such land for the purposes of the Property! .Assessment Act. In case no valuation has been

made, the Property Tax Commissioner t will be instructed to value the land. Sir George Grey thinks that the measure would prove a blessing to young New Zealanders anxious to settle on the land. The fact that the Colonial Treasurer is empowered to advance certain sums of money to settlers for the erection of homesteads, the purchase of necessary agricultural implements, and the aupply of rations for a year, will, in Sir George's opinion, offer grand opportunities to industrious young men to lay the foundation of their fortunes. The land is to be taken up, *m perpetual lease and a quit rent system *, and though a lessee may hold more than one allotment, he cannot be holder of more than $20 acres altogether, whether freehold or leasehold. The bill provides that any person who having leased an allotment shall after not less than five years' occupation thereof pay to the Receiver of Land Revenue any rent which may be due in rcflpecb thereof, and any advances mado ' thereon, together with the whole purchase price of the allotment, shall receive a grant of the said allotment. In case of cottage allotments the lease shall be for a term not exceeding 21 years, subject to con- J tinuous personal occupation by the lesseo, and immediate cancellation of the lease when such occupation is discontinued. As Sir George expressed a desire to obtain the opinion of experienced farmers ou his bill, the editor of the Otago Witness might bring the matter under the notice of his large circle of agricultural readers with the object of eliciting their views on his land acquisition scheme.