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Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1720, 8 July 1874, Page 2

A cobbespondent draws attention to Mr. Gillies' motion in the House of Representatives " for a return of persons employed during the past financial year in land purchase operations in the North Island, and the quantity, position and price of land purchased by such persons," and proceeds to give information as to what has been done in this district as shown by a " report" to the Hon. the Native Minister under date the 24th February, 1874. " Settler " has taken the trouble to extract those figures which may be supposed to possess a particular interest for this district. We confess that we are agreeably surprised to find that the Government have acquired such large blocks of land over and above those referred to in the return furnished to both. Houses of Parliament during last session. It is devoutly to be hoped that Mr. Gillies' mothion will elicit the gratifying fact that still larger purchases have been made, because then there can be little excuse for a long delay in bringing the lands so acquired under the operation of the Immigration and Public Works Act. We are assured that some of the lands comprised in the returns to which " Settler " refers are of good quality for agricultural purposes; some is well timbered and within easy access, while other portions of the blocks are covered with flax, and in such situations that access is comparatively easy. Here then is a public estate for this district, only waiting the fiat of the Governor to be dealt with under the Waste Lands Act of the Province of Auckland. :