108

NELSON GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

advance for settling immigrants upon the
land, because it as really forms part of
their passage money, and such expendi-
ture has been so treated in other cases,
therefore I submit that a refund of that
item should be made to the advance account.
I have also treated separately the steamer's
subsidy for mail service, &c., on the ground
that this cannot properly be charged solely
against the special settlement. Looking at
the direct result of the expenditure here
dealt with, we find a surplus on the side of
assets. This arises from the margin of
profit left on the small percentage charged
in the store to cover freight and charges.

The advantages resulting from the
establishment of the special settlement may
be shortly summarised:—Public works, to the
value of the money spent; land taken up under
special settlement, 4000 acres; 70 families
provided with homes, and improvements
made by them on their lands to the
value of £5,000. It is worth noticing as an
additional result, indicative of what will
follow, that 1497 acres have already been
taken up by thirteen persons outside the
special settlement. In considering this, I
cannot help wishing that the large sums
spent in this Province in public works
during the past three years had been pro-
ductive to a like degree. If they had
been so, then, putting that expenditure at
£250,000, our population would now have
increased by about 6000, and 1400 families
would have been enabled to make homes for
themselves, and would have added to the
wealth of the Colony £100,000 by their
industry in permanent improvements upon
land taken into occupation.

Although taking this view, I am quite
aware that so marked a result is not
to be expected, particularly as much
of the last-mentioned expenditure was
made to gain other results, perhaps
equally desirable. Still, I must express
my conviction that a great extent of bush
land on the West Coast of this Province
cannot be settled for years in any other way
than by combining public works with settle-
ment, so as to enable working men to make

sure of sufficient employment to assist them
in supporting their families while making a
home. Any work set aside for such a purpose
should be extended over three years, and
should amount per family according to circum-
stances, from £100 to £200. I feel sure,
from applications asking to join the settle-
ment at Karamea, that there are hundreds
in this Province, sons of the old settlers, or
men who on the goldfields have borne the
heat and burden of the day, and consequently
have stronger claims upon the country than
new arrivals, would be extremely thankful for
such an opportunity of providing for their
families. Many of these are now compelled,
in order to obtain employment, to live in
town where employment not being constant,
much of their time is lost. The highest
result a man so situated can expect, is that
he will be able to feed and clothe his family
and pay his rent. Certainly another advan-
tage highly prized is extended to them by the
liberal provision made by the State for
education, but while enabling working men
to form settlements upon the land in con-
nection with public works, education might
still be provided for, and, I repeat, a great
boon thus extended to many who, no matter
how industrious or hard working, may never
have the means of taking land and making
a home upon it. I am also convinced that
as an investment for capital, clearing the
heavy bush land upon the West Coast will
not pay, and that the only way to clear
away this useless bush and establish in its
place productive settlements and homes for
the people, is to extend to a certain number
yearly the advantages bestowed by the com-
bination of public works and settlement.

I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
EUGENE O'CONOR,
Provincial Secretary.

June 30, 1876.

Printed under the authority of the Provincial Government, by LUCKIE and COLLINS, Waimea-street, Nelson,
Printers for the time being to the said Government.