THE LAND SALE IN FITZHERBERT.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 114, 5 February 1881, Page 2

THE LAND SALE IN FITZHERBERT.

The suggestion- thrown out at the Borough-'- Council:- b'y Councillor Mow-lem.-that the Commissioner of Crown Lands should, be urged to impress upon the Govern njent the necessity of mhlcing the required additions to thi» Manawanv Bridge— or ax least giving a guaranteethat the worir •would be done-— before the sale of the land in Fitzherbert, is an excellent one, and we are pleased to^see was promptly acted upon by the Council. Warned by the fate of the unfortunate settlers in Fitzherbert township. who bought their lauds upon the solumn promise of -the -ProvinciaK-rovePDment that a. portion of the purchase money would be devoted to the making of roads, we imagine few persons will be again so foolish as to place themselves at the mere? of either the Government or its officials. The Mauawatu ''Bridge is now in such a perilous state that anything beyond an ordinary fresh or flood would sweep the structure raway, and leave the settlers completely isolated, witli the Tafania Range's "at "tlfeif "back," and impenetrable bush, guiltless of even bridle tracks, north and south. We fe 1 it our duty as journalists to warn intending investors — who may be attracted jby the richness of the Fitzherbert land, and its contiguity to Palmerston— 'against :spen ding their money upon a property which without proper . communication with a market for the produce, yvill be a dead -loss upon their hands, as has been the ease with the owners of property at the. old township of Fitzherbert. The bridge originally cost some £50CO or. £6000, a*nd on account of not having been properly finished stood an excel-., lent chance of being swept away at the last flood, which it encountered. Fortunately it was not destroyed, but it then sustained certain damages which leaves it anabsolute certainty that the slightest shock would send it adrift. It has been estimated that about $500 would make such repairs as would at least guarantee its safety against another. fflopdT, and certainly if the Govern men t will to sell their land to the best advantage — or indeed, sell it all 1 — they should be prepared to make this small but most -necessary outlay, Mr Linton has alrpadv carried out the instructions of the Council, and advocated that such a step-should be taken, and we will await with some expectancy the action of the Public Works. Should they re, fuse to carry out the distinct , promise made by Mr Oliver, particularly when it is so much to their own interest to do so, we shall make it our .bounden duty to wiirn. all intending purchasers from locking up their capital in land which wiirbe~6n thek* hands, and will leave them marooned in the future as the dldeV settlers have been in the pa.sti