Looking for a Selection

Southern Cross, Volume 19, Issue 25, 7 October 1911, Page 3

Looking for a Selection

SOME CANDID REMARKS

(By "Puki")

"Get on the land, young man ! 'Get on the land !"

Such is the cry that we hear reechoed on every side in this democratic and progressive country of ours. "Yes, by all means," we answer. "But where is the land for us to get on ? We cannot secure a first-class holding without a considerable amount of capital, and this most important essential is unfortunately lacking in the case of most of us "land-hungry mortals" and in consequence but one chance remains for us, and that the very indefinite one of the ballot-box."

Attracted by a printed plan issued by the "Lands Department, giving particulars of lands for settlement in the Longwood, survey district, I, in company with two other ■"wotdd-be cockatoos," Fred a.nd Arthur, set out to inspect these "firstclass sections," which were described in such glowing terms oh the plan. It was a glorious day when we alighted from the train at the small side station of Ruaihine, which was within a mile of the nearest section. With hearts as light as' our pockets, and hopes as high as the barometer (which, by the way, was abnormal) ive set our course in the direction of the "Promised Pand." and were soon striking out across old mill workings. A bush fire had swept this piece of country at no very distant date, and the gaunt skeletons of a by-gone forest stood like spectres on the barren land. The soil was of a peatv nature. and the red pine -stumps were as plentiful (metaphorically speaking) as currants in the average plum-duff. After a prolonged struggle, during which much time was spent in falling down and picking up, 1 one's self, we at length struck the boundary line of the first section. We knew that it was the boundary line because of the beaten, track that followed it. There were small footprints and prodigious footprints, broad footprints and long footprints, plainly impressed in the mud by the tond-hunters who had preceded us.

But oh ! imagine our disgust when upon examining the survey peg we discovered that this was the "back" line, and that the intervening wilderness was what the plan was pleased to designate "good land." My mate Fred reckoned that ir would not raise much grass, but that it might be good enough for raising a "mortgage." "Arthur considered that oven the Canadian thistle would starve on it. while T. in turn, ventured to remark upon its adaptability for the successful rearing of swamp turkeys.

Following the well-defined trail and hoping for better prospects in the other sections, we soon picked' up the road, line which skirted them, but we were again doomed to disappointment, for the next was nearly as third-rate as the first had been, which gave rise to a. facetious remark from Fred that at any rate this,* land would be free from the ravages of the grass grub. What an interesting collection of opinions one could have, could h e but record the views of the 99 prospective applicants that had trodden this beaten track. For this purpose I would suggest that the Land Board in future place a visitor's book, at the corner of each section. It would be the means of saving much time and labour on the part of the late comers, who. instead of being obliged to traverse the whole allotment, would but have to read the impressions therein recorded in order to gauge the relative value of the land. In this manner, too, the Board, by the perusal, of the various entries, would learn much that would be to their advantage—or otherwise.

Having settled our curiosity in regard to these two sections," we set out in the direction of the Wakapatu allotments, following a surveyed road line that we knew would bring us out at the required spot. The road, which looked crooked enough on the map, was simply diabolically angular when we came to traverse it. Arthur said—(well, I won't repeat what he said)—but let it suffice to say that he gave vent to, a few "cursory" remarks anent the systems adopted by some surveyors in the laying out of bush roads.

Our description of the Wakaspatu sections, and that of the Land Board, are as dissimilar as a flea is fron> a grasshopper. Whereas the printed description characterises it as being—" Broken land, soil medium to good,, well watered, and good pas-

toral country,'-' we summed it up as follows —"Broken land yes, very much so ; a small portion of firstclass land and a large proportion of first-class lagoon ; very well watered and altogether excellent duck-farm-ing country.

The last section that we visited was undoubtedly the best of the lot. Here we had the pleasure of viewing some really first-class land, though it had the disadvantage of being in rather an isolated position. It seems hard to understand why any rent whatsoever should be charged for, such inferior holdings. From what we saw of them (barring the last one referred to) they would be dear at a gift, while in the ordinary course of events years must elapse before they will be connected by anything , in the nature of a decent road. In our journeyimgs we passed through some excellent bush- ,and, which has been locked up for years past for the special benefit of some sawmill monopolists, who seem to enjoy the option of cutting it out at leisure.

Considering that the best agricultural land is that which has a minimum of sawmilling timber, it behoves the Lands Department to open up this class of country andi thereby render it productive instead of adopting a. penny-wise, pound-foolish policy of delaying its settlement for the conserving of a few sticks of timber. It was late in the evening when we finished our tour of inspection, and we felt much relieved on gaining the open country. My mate, Arthur, reckons in the event of the applicants whose misfortune it is to draw either the Ruahine or Wakapatu sections not having visited the locality prior to the ballot, they will get the shock of their lives when they come to take possession of their treasured holdings.!