MR CADMAN ON THE THAMES RAILWAY.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XX, Issue 6160, 31 July 1888, Page 2

MR CADMAN ON THE THAMES RAILWAY.

The moniher for Ooromandel, speaking in the House, on July 10th, made the follo\v ing observation I do not desire to offer my opposition to tho moasuro (the Land Bill) I am free to couless tlm't 1 |no\y very little of the details' and intrieacioß of the settlement of land, Every Government wo have had has taken very good cfti'o that the part of the country from which I come, and tho peoole I represent, should havo very little chance of settling on the land. In fact, thoro appears to bo a fatality about matters in that part of the colony, to which tho Maori' word !f Tailioa" is very applicable. When yon and I, bir, were boys a Government startec 1 to construct a railway iu tho Thames district. Wo are no\y, I think, both of us getting on towards middle ago, and tho line is still unfinished. However, for my part I stilj (jhorjsh' a Jjopg tiujt before I die I may have one ride' on that 'railway-lino. { would ask tho Minister seriously to look at this question-to look at our part of the colony for ouce-aud I ask liiin whether |m docs not think it is nearly time to do something towards its settlement, instead of Acts of bjs own which tend to drive people ol). the land. \\ r hj|t is the posiliou now ? Every man iu the district who ifiakos mono.}' at mining iinuiediatejy wants land to settle ou, to tP'tke a hums for himself and his family; hut he is compelled to leave the district ; and this has been going on ioi years. A return was laid on the table two or three days ago showing the number of people who have been (icttlcd with pormaneut titles on " tho llinds jti t|ie • flirty njnflie#: gold fields ' counties" since ] 88q. |n Qliinpin|'jri ejghty-fwo iieppns Jnjye ajtogetli:!' settled in • th'Q district, but sixty-sis of theso havo takon agricultural leases; therefore there are only sixteen who luivo permanently settled in thi|t ppuqtry t IbT 11 ?'"? 8 M-, teen person's have taken up hind, bi(t to fourteen of those titles liaye Ueeii I'cftjsod In Corpmandel eighteen persons have taken up land, and six of these homestead selections urc now about titlos, Altogether, therefore, during the last eight years' thirty-BOvcu people have boon permanently settled on the waste lands in theso throe oountios. As [ mentioned •just now, the Government—l do not say this Government in particular, but all Guverumeuts-are iueliucd to mako Acts J of their owu. To show the truth of this,

there is a district named Tapu in the County of Thames. Some eight years ago a piece of land was opened for selection under tho Homestead Act. This land was taken up and settled on. The provisions of the Act wore complied with, and this took somn five years to do, including cost of surveys erection of houses and fences, felling bush, laying down grass, ct cetera. Compliance with tho necessary provisions was certified to by the Ranger, and tho Waste Lands Board approved of the issue of title; but tho Government declined to issue titles until tho County Council in the district would take over certain responsibilities with respect to the mining that might crop up. While parleying was going on, a miner pegged out a claim on one oE these homesteads, and was granted a title for his claim. By some mistake on the part oE the Beard the land had not been gazetted—it had been advertised, but not gazetted—and this technical point was taken advantage of by tho Warden who granted this claim, and some of llie trees were sold to this miner which tho other people had not boon allowed to cut down. All this sort of tiling has caused trouble; and, i£ tho Minister intends to do -justice to all parts of tho colony with respect to the settlement of the land, this is a matier which demands serious attention. Agaio, if the agricultural settlers of Ohinemuri are to be driven off the land simply bocause tho Minister will do nothing lie will bring such a hornets n.-st about bis oars as will cause hint sorrow for i> long to cotne. What we want in this district in BOme sort of title to the surface, and he can do what he .likes in the way of reserving mineral rights. The people in the district will be quilo satisfied that such reserves should bo kept; and it iB quite right that it should I bo so. Thoro is a tendency amongst all Governments—at any rale,lon that sido oE tho House—to think that the goldtields members aud districts want nothing but money. In ibis they make a mistake. If tho present Minister will pay as much attention to tho settlement of land in goldfields as in other districts ho will make himself a succcsstul Miniver, and will alleviate that strong feoling against him that seems fast arising on the goldfields of the colony.