The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1887.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7960, 2 September 1887, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1887.

The depression which, unfortunately, has prevailed for some time throughout the colony, has oaused many to give way to almost utter despair, and some have beoome quite despondent by the state of affairß which at present exists. Several excellent oolonists, who have been strongly moved in the matter, have had thoughts of realising their property and leaving the country. Fortunately for the colony, the realisation is at present impossible, and they are therefore anchored in port, although against their will. These persons should not forget, however, that they are in a very young country, a country of very great promise, the capabilities and resources of which are in a great measure unknown. The fog which is temporarily stopping all progress is bound to pass away, and we are warranted in believing that the sun of prosperity will onoe more render happy in its cheering beams those who have faith and patience to wait for it. We are not alone in pur trouble. In England property that is not in the great centres of population is at the present , time like it that in the colony, totally I unsaleable; but this state of affairs cannot last for ever, and ire hope in a short time to hear of a reaction, when land again will beoome the valuable security we have known it in the past. The progress made in the settlement of New Zealand has been rapid during the last few years, whioh is very evident from some returns we have compiled, and whioh will be found in another part of to-day's paper. It will be seen from ' them that the extent of land oooupied as holdings by Europeans of over one aore amounted to, when the last census was taken, an area oi 27,848,695, an increase since 1881 of 1,003,224 aores, or 2,579,554 aores since 1878. Of the above numbers in :}BB6 there were 11,728,286 acres freehold properties of the occupiers; 1,776,987 acres rented from public bodies ; 2,017,588 aores native reserves rented by Europeans ; and 696,510 aores held from the Grown for pastoral purposes only, Since 1881 the figures show a decrease of 248,576 acres of land rented from the natives, and 866,958 acres rented from the Grown. There was an increase in the . other classes, chiefly in the amount of freehold, the property of the occupier, whioh was greater by 1,419,066 aores. The census returns give the extent of unoccupied and unused freeholds at 768,281 aores, against 931,485 aores in 1881 and 605,931 acres in 1878. These returns can soarcely be relied on, however, for probably in the past the full extent of the unOooupied land held by persons in the colony or by absentee proprietors was not nearly shown. One of the most interesting of the tables published elsewhere is the one referring to the size of the holdings. In 1886 there were 88,486 oooupied holdings in size from one aore to 100,000 acres and upwards, whioh represented 17,077,074 acres, In 1881 there were 80,882 holdings, and in 1878 they numbered 26,229, The numerical increase since 1681 has been greatest in the holdings up to fifty aores ; but the proportionate increase was greatest in the number oi holdings between 200 and 320 aores. The next greatest proportionate increase was in holdings from 1000 to 5000 aores, the holdings from 320 to 640 acres taking third plaoe, and those from 1 to 10 aores the fourth plaoe as to proportion of increase. There was an increase of one in the number ocoupied of holdings from 10,000 to 20,000 acres. The value of the land at the present time could not be very well estimated, although Sir Julius Yogel attempted to do bo last session, but in 1881 the freehold was estimated at £68,778,853; the leasehold nndeV Grown leases at £812,790 ; and leasehold, exclusive oi the Grown leases., and licenses, at £8,171,440 ; making the total value at £73,157,583. We mentioned the other day that there were not above 60,000 persons working the land, which shows that a large extent of country must be held by absentees. It is in the power of the Government to minimise this evil by proper legislation. The land should be made to bear the burden of double rates where it is not in use. This would be the means of making it too expensive for {he absentee to hold, and the 'result would be that it would pass into the hands of those who could make use of it. It therefore only needs boldly grappling with our political evils to get them remedied; and if. we moderate our extravagant ideas and proceed energetically in our heroic work of colonisation, acting with self-reliance, we are in oiroutnstanoes whioh, rfghtly used, may plaoe the colony in such a position of prosperity as we can scarcely at present oonoeive.