Run No. 176.

Southland Times, Issue 11901, 24 November 1891, Page 3

Run No. 176.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,— While looking through your journal I observe that the Commissioner of Crown Lands has advised the reletting of Run 176, Manapouri, for a period of 7 years on the ground that ie is unfit for agriculture. This I beg to deny for the following reasons : — The Government cat up 3000 acres into a township, in perpetual lease sections, and valued it at a high price (for second-class land) owing to its remoteness from railway convenience. As to the statement that it only carries one Bheep to six acres, that is simply humbug of a high order, especially when we remember that the run only has on it at the present time 10,000 Bheep or less, while the area for grazing amounts to nearly 25,000 acres, including 13,000 acres freehold, which is capable of carrying the whole of the flock. There is quite a " boom" on pastoral runs just now. Only lately many thousands of acres of country west of the Waiau river has been taken up for sheep farming, while \ there are many people who expect to be able , to seenre some small runs under the new Land BilL Many who know the country referred to will be surprised *t the report of the Commissioner and they will naturally M kj " Who told him such a yarn ?" while no answer will be forthcoming. Some one will make the remark, " Took the proprietor's word for it, I suppose." There are a great number of people on the lookout for small runs, and this one, had it been Bubdivided, would have been snapped up at once at something like its value, and I trust it is not too late to rectify this error and give small capitalists a chance to acquire suitable runs. — I am, &c, One of Them. Lumsden, 18th Nov.