PALMERSTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2210, 9 July 1896, Page 26

PALMERSTON.

June 30.— The weather for the past weak was miserable in the extreme— constant rain forsix or seven days, causing the streets anil roads to become a sea of mud and slush,— but it now appears to have taken up at last for the better, yesterday and to-day being fine, and the roads ara drying up once again. ■ Land SETrLBMENT.— The ballot for sections on the Makareao (Waihcmo Grange) estate, recently - acquired by the Government for close settleniont under the Lund for Settlements Act, took place in the To«u Hall on Monday, uuder the supervision of Mr W. E Sessions, '.of the Lands Oflico, and caused considerable, excttpmeut in the town. A -large number of applicants, like those at the ballot for the Pukettt'pu (Mr' James Cocbrane's) estate a short time since, were again doomed to disappointment. The number in both these instances show that there are some 200 or 30i) would-be aottlets anxious to acquira a bit of land, and had both estates been several times larger there ii not the slightest doubt the sections would lave been eagarly snapped up, so keen is the desire of our settlers to place their crowing families on the land to makt homes for themselves. Amongst the unsuccessful applicants were the sons and daughters of nearly every

old resident; family in the district. The fact stands out promluently that 10 or 20 times the quantity of land, if available on the same terms aud conditions, would be eagerly competed for, the.laat two ballot* only having just whetted the appetites of do6irable settlers. Now that the Government have commenced to meet the demand for closer settlement, it would be advisable for the Hon. J. M'Kenzie to further extend tbe popularity of his laud policy by taking under the Land for Settlements Act such desirable Unds as those contained in the Puketapu estate, the proporty of Mr Jas. Allen, M.H.R , and the Bushey Ptrfk estate, belonging to the Bank of New Zealand Estates Co. There can be no two opinions regarding the suitability of these estate 3 (more especially the latter, which is acknowledged to be the pick of land in Shag Valley) for closer settlement, and vastly superior to the two estates lately balloted for. The c have the further advantage of being situa'e close to the town and surrounded by good roads. I have ro% the slightest hesitation in saying, if thrown open for Bettlemont, they would be eagerly sought after both fir and near.