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AT STEWART ISLAND

HALF MOON BAY, Sunday afternoon. The members of the commission, after taking evidence at Invercargill in the forenoon, snatched a hasty lunch and then found themselves on the train bound for the Bluff, where the Harbour Board tug Theresa Ward was waiting to convey them to Stewart Island. The tug is splendid as a tug, but a sad delusion as a passenger boat, the result being that two hours' steady plugging against a Foveaux Strait wind and sea°found one weak spot in the Royal Commission. The tug pitched and kicked, and rolled, and in less than half an hour the sea had wreaked a deadly vengeance on the Land Commission, with the result that about half the members would have 'given all their capital for a little bit of freehold. Freehold, perpetual lease, right of purchase, advances to settlers, and even ragwort were quickly forgotten for the sea, which, in conjunction with the Theresa Ward, is no respecter of persons. Stewart Island does not offer any very serious problem to the land reformer. It contains half a million acres of land of no account for farming, but of much value as a scenic resort. Pegasus (where the tin is supposed to come from), Lord's River, Paterson's, and other inlets are very beautiful, especially when the rata trees are ablaze with their crimson blossoms. Years ago several fisher folk wero imported from the Orkneys with a

view to the establishment of the fishing industry. They each received a grant of 20 acres of land ; but they did not stay long, and beautiful as the island was they soon drifted away. No doubt they thought of the sentiment of those beautiful lines: From the dim shielding and the misty island,

Mountains divide us and a world of seas ; But our hearts are true, our hearts are High-

And we in dreams behold the Hebrides. The main factor in the disappearance of those fisher folk, however ,was the want of a market for their fish and the possibility of earning; "eight bob a day" on the mainland. Anyhow they soon l&ft. Their 20 acre allotments were abandoned, and many remain untenanted to this day, none in all the wide, wide world knowing what has become of many of them. Nowadays, however, Stewart Island is an important fishing station, and large supplies of delicious fish are exported. The question of letting the fisher folk acquire land on which fco make homes for themselves is therefore of some importance, and will no doubt receive consideration from the Royal Commission. The only other questions of moment for the commission were the granting of the freehold to the settlers and scenery versus sawmilling. In these questions we may let the inhabitants speak for themselves. The commission sat by lamplight and candlelight to take their evidence. Arthur William Traill, chairman of the County Council, said he had 20 acres of freehold land in the island. It was extremely difficult and expensive to clear ; therefore everyone in Stewart Island wished to acquire the freehold. Those who had taken up land on lease in perpetuity now regretted having so taken it up. Very few were making a living altogether out of the land. They worked at sawmills and engaged in fishing or other pursuits. Visitors who came for a holiday often wished an acre or two of land to build a summer residence, and of course the freehold was the only thing to suit them. There was no demand for the lease in perpetuity. A large area had been reserved for scenic purposes. Some of the residents thought these areas might be worked by sawmills ; others thought they should not. It was a disputed point. The young men of the island did not go on the land ; they preferred to go in for fishing. It might be beneficial if they could get small holdings near the coast.

William Robertson, farmer, said he had a lease in perpetuity. There was only a rough track to his property. The lease in perpetuity was retarding settlement in the island. In 12 years only fhc sections had been taken up on the leesp-in-perpetuity system. When he took up his section he had some idea of the nationalisation of the land, but after working for 12 years to clear it he thought he should have the freehold. The Chairman : That has altered your opinion considerably? — Witness: Yes, it has.

To Mr Forbes : One objection to a lease in perpetuity is that you could not borrow on it.

Edmund Pleasant, formerly fish packer but now a farmer, said he believed in th© right to purchase. George Swan, a sawmiller and holder of land with the right to purchase, said it was all rot to sunpose that the sawmiller spoiled

the scenery. He only took the big trees and opened up a way for the tourist. The land was very difficult to clear. If he had to clear and stump all his section he would have to live to the end of the 999 years. — (Laughter.)

Charles Robertson, sawmiller and holder of a lease in perpetuity, said he was satisfied with his tenure. He doubted whether the lease in perpeiuitj- was the best for keeping people on the land. He thought there should be the three tenures.

This afternoon we steamed up Paterson's Inlet and back to the Bluff. To-morrow we are leaving Invercargill for Otautau, the centre of a fine agricultu%l district. So far the evidence taken has been overwhelmingly in favour of allowing leaseholders the option of converting their holdings into freehold.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW19050308.2.46

Bibliographic details

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 16

Word Count
930

AT STEWART ISLAND Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 16

AT STEWART ISLAND Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 16