TUAPEKA LAND FOR SETTLEMENT ASSOCIATION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 4960, 17 May 1902, Page 3

TUAPEKA LAND FOR SETTLEMENT ASSOCIATION.

A largely attended meeting of the Tuapeka Land for Settlement Association was held in the' Borough Council Chambers on Wednesday evening, the Mayor of Lawrence (Mr W. F. Smyth) in the chair.

The Chairman said he was very pleased to preside over the meetings of the Association as he recognised the movement it had initiated was one of great importance not only to the district but to the colony at larga. There oould be no true prosperity here unless the land was extensively settled upon by the people . It was not the kind of prosperity that passed away in a year or two ; it was abiding aod provided homes and occupations for all time for the people and was the only souroe of national* wealth that never gave out or sucoumbed to exhaustion. It was therefore clear from that this question of land settlement in whioh they were now interested concerned everybody ; not the farmers alone but the business people, and, in faot, all classes in the country and it was therefore both their duty and their interest to give it all the assistants 2 in their power. He'understood the chief object of the meeting this evening was to take measures for circulating a petition throughout the district for signatures and he hoped that important part of the work would be carried out as speedily as possible, and he had no doubt if the opportunity werd given the people oE the district they would all sign the petition.

The following petition was then read to the meetiog by Mr Finlayson : — To the Honorable the Speaker and Members of the General Assembly of New Zealand, in Session now assembled.

The memorial of the undersigned, the settlers of Lawrence, Wetherstones, Blue Spur, Evans Flaw, Tuapeka Flat, Tuapeka West, Tuapeka Moutli, Beaumont, Waitahuna, Claris Flat, and surrouuc . ing districts, in the provincial district of Otagc, respectfully showeth — 1. That the want vi land for close-settlement has been severely felt for some time by the settlers of the above-mentioned districts.

2. That when the land was first thrown open for settlement in the districts referred to, it was mostly of a broken nature, most of the good level land having been acquired by companies and capitalist in large areas. 3. That most of the settlers in the districts referred to hold small areas of land, which are unsuitable for sub-division, and many of them have large families who are anxious to tako up land for settlement.

4. That there are many residents in the districts referred to who have acquired means by gold miniDg, carrying on the roads, and other employments who would be glad to take up land and settle down and make a home for themselves.

b. That thefg-are no Crown lands in the districts already mentioned which are suitable for close settlement. -

6. That the only suUible lands for close settlement in these' districts are Greenfield Estate, comprising 28,1 . ~i acres, and Clyde vale Estate, comprising about 30, C3O acres. 7. That your petitioners would prefer Greenfield Estate to be acquired by the Sovernmenjb and cut up for settlement, as it lies convenient to the districts already referred to and consists of good agricultural land, mosfc.'of which has already Tjeen cleared and cultivated and has good. roaAa all through it, and the steamer on the Molyneux River passes alongside of the Estate, which affords cheap transit for farm produce to the seaboard. 8. That many miners and others who have made money by goldmining and in other ways in the districts referred to, and also sons of settlers in these districts, have had to leave the districts at various times' and go to other districts and the large towns. of the colony owing to being unable to s:et suitable land to settle on in the districts they eft.

9. That it would assist to develop this part of the provincial district of Utago, including the towns of Lawrence and Waitahuna, if Greenfield Estate were acquired by the Government and cut up into'suitable-sized farms for close settlement.

10. That large areas of land have been acquired for closp settlement in the North Island of New Zealand and the provincial district of Canterbury but no lands have been lacquired for settlement in tbis or any other part of the Otago Goldflelds, where there are many men possessed of sma'l means who, if land were available, wonld settle on it and make industrious and successful settlers.

11. That as the acquisition of land for close settlement is one of the principal factors of the prosperity of the colony, and as other means of making a livelihood in this part of the Otago Goldflelds will only last for a few years longer, it is imperative that land should be acquired for settlement so as to keep the population, in the districts referred to. Tour petitioners therefore pray that your Honorable House will take the matter mentioned in the foregoing petition into yonr favorable consideration, and will request the Government to accede to the request of your petitioners by acquiring and opening up Greenfield Estate for cloje settlement. And your petitioners will ever pray —

On the motion of Mr Byrne, seconded by Mr Arbockle, the petition as read was approved of and it was decided that steps Bhould be taken as soon as possible to pat it into circulation for signature.

After a number of new members had been enrolled and some routine business transacted, the meeting closed with tbe usual compliment to the chair,