REINSTATEMENT OF THE PATEA AND WAITOTARA SETTLERS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume III, Issue 641, 1 September 1869, Page 2

REINSTATEMENT OF THE PATEA AND WAITOTARA SETTLERS.

(From the Independent.) Thursday, August 26. On the motion of Mr Kelly, the

House went into committee to consider of an address to his Excellency the Governor, praying him to submit for appropriation such sum as he may deem to be necessary for the purpose of making advances by way of loan to the Patea and Waitotara settlers, to enable them to re-oc-cuJDy their farms; such advances to be secured by a mortgage on the property of those settlers who may avail themselves of the privilege. The settlers of these districts deserved great commiseration. They had suffered heavy losses from, circumstances over which they had no control. "When settlers went into out-districts and acted as pioneers of civilisation, they had special claims upon the Government for assistance ; and if they were willing to re-occupy the lands after being driven from them, they should be aided in doing so. He did not ask that either sympathy or compensation should be granted them, but simply an advance. The principle was no new one. The English Parliament, had, at several times, advanced £20,000,000 for the construction of drainage works in Great Britain and Ireland. The Provincial Government of Taranaki, after the war of 1861, advanced money to settlers on mortgage to assist them in rebuilding their houses. The Government on the transaction, lost only £200; and their "security in this case, would be better, as it would be real estate, while .the Government would only advance money where it was likely to be repaid. The scheme was really one for colonising the country by the flower of the settlers. The Provincial Governments had carried on immigration on the principle of advances. No doubt losses might be sustained, but the benefit derived would be vastly greater. The scheme would get rid of the constantly, recurring claims for compensation, and would be a fair one to all parties concerned.

The Hon. the . Premier said, this was an open question with the Government, but all its members would vote for the proposition. Mr Fox spoke highly of the courage and.endurance of .jfche Waitotaca settlers, and pointed out the great losses they had sustained. The settlers had adopted a wise line of action in asking for advances upon the security of their valuable estates. He believed that every shilling of tbe £10,000 proposed to be lent would be repaid. The Government had arranged a plan by which the district could be occupied without peril, one ingredient of which was not to allow natives who had been engaged in rebellion to return to the. district. The Government would of coui'se see that the money was properly expended.

Mr Stafford had not been more gratified during the session than by the unanimous approval given to this proposition by the House. He would add his congratulations to those of the Hon. the Premier upon the skilful way in which the mattei had been managed by the hon. member, and thanks were also due to Mr Middlemas, who initiated the scheme. He entirely concurred in the proposal not only on account of its effect upon the settlers immediately concerned, but because it might become the basis of a comprehensive system, similar to that embodied in the Irish Drainage Act, by which settlers in districts requiring large expenditure before the land could be made available would be assisted with advances. The motion was earned.