THE HUIRANGI DISTBICT, TARANAKI.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 9140, 17 June 1880, Page 2

THE HUIRANGI DISTBICT, TARANAKI.

fr The following report by the ranger of the Taranaki Land Board has just been published. . It is interesting to persons out of the district where the land is situated; as showing what may be effected under a system of deferred payments : — " I have the honour to forward you my second report on the portion of the Huirangi District sold on deferred payments during the month of January, 1876. This block wa3 almost entirely taken up by Germans and Danes, and they have very conclusively shown that they are a very desirable class of settlers to introduce into the country. Within the four years that they have held the land— and although they have had to build houses and erect temporary fences — they have actually cleared on an average 60 per cent of their holdings, and after deducting the required amount to cover the first inspection (made two years ago) they hare made improvements to more than 5J times the amount required to cover the present inspection. There is not one defaulter in the block, and every holding but one is occupied by a family. . When itia considered that none of these' Bettler's have been here more than five years ; that they came here as immigrants, having absolutely no money of their own ; that since their arrival they have paid three instalments of the purchase money of their land ; that on an average each one has made improvements on the land held by him to the value of over £160, and that while doing all this they have provided for their families, and in nearly all cases have purchased cows and raised stock, it will, 1 think, be freely granted that they are the proper stamp of settlers to bring into a new country, and especially into our bush districts. In my previous reports I have alluded to the depressing influence experienced by travellers in passing along the Railway line or Mountain Road through seeing so much bush still standing and seemingly so few improvements made. It is really only by visiting such parts as Huirangi, and the back parts of the Moa, Huiroa, and Manganui Districts that one can judge the real progress made. The progress is, however, so great and substantial as to satisfy oven the most sanguine supporters o£ the deferred payment system, and, judging by the past, I anticipate that the late action of the [Board in setting apart alternate sections ou deferredpayments will result in effectually opening up those districts, in ensuring good district roads, and in settling a large resident population on the land." The date of the above is Februarry ]4th, but the ranger supple/nents it with a report on the 7th of the present month concerning : that portion of the block not included in phe first reporj;. The following is an extract : — '.' The remarks I made in my February report fully apply to the holdings I have jnst inspected; Every holding isoccupied by a family. The cleared land amounts to 39 per cent of the whole, and after deducting sufficient to cover the first inspection, the average value of improvements made equals about four times the amount required." The individual, who got up a sensation grew dizzy and tumbled down.