H.—No. 1,

26

REPORT ON OTAGO WASTE LANDS ADMINISTRATION.

». very well. Free selection, however, with a compulsory improvement clause, and a license to depasture on certain blocks, would, in my opinion, be the making of this country. Nothing would tend more to "• create population. In fact, that is the only way to settle this country. * sr°, 7<^ kn°W th<? t. OWn f Eoxburgh ?—Yes ;in coming down I passed through that district 301. What is your opinion of the place ?—I was very much pleased with it. It contains a number ot substantial stone buildings, and tho inhabitants seem to make themselves at home It has all the appearance of being a permanent place. The settlers take great interest in the affairs of the district which has all the appearance of being a prosperous one. ' 302. Do you know if they were in favour of the sale of the land in lar°-e blocks ?—I did not ascertain that. D _ 303. Do you know the large block of land sold to Messrs. Cargill and Anderson P—lt was pointed out to me. 304. Mr. O'Neill] I observe that the snow line in the Wakatipu district is very high?— Very high though we have snow in winter sometimes on the low lands. ' ' _ 305. In reply to a question suggested by the Chairman, the witness proceeded to say —We consider the best crops are grown on land covered with snow in winter. ' 306. Mr. Studholme.] Do you consider the block of land in question equal to the land in the Wakatipu district ?—I could not say. I should think that the slopes of the hills were quite equal Stiff, 1 could not take upon myself to say definitely, having only passed through the district 307. Is there much flat land in the Wakatipu district ?—Tes ; but the hilly land is often found to be the best. 308.^ What is the character of the hilly land to which you allude. Is it sloping?—Tes o- e .ntlv sloping sides. ' b J 309. Is tho weather as a rule finer and the temperature higher than it is as a rule found to be in the lower districts of Otago ?—I have not had much experience of other parts of Otago lam aware that the climate is much finer than that of Southland. It is certainly the finest climate that I have ever lived m. I have heard that it is much warmer than on the sea coast. Such plants as melons and vegetable marrows grow in the district. 310. What sort of soil is there in the Wakatipu district ?—lt is a very fair soil 311. Is there a large extent of flat land in the district ?—There is, considering the general character of Otago. 812. Are you a large landholder in that district ?—Tes; I hold considerable portions of land in the district. 313. Do you find the land perfectly suitable for growing cereals ?—Tes, I do. 314. Did you purchase your land under the leasing system ?—I purchased it from parties who had taken it up under the leasing system. I also bought some direct from the Crown at auction. 315. What extent of land did you purchase at auction ?—I bought about 500 acres. 316. What price did you pay ?—From £4 to £5 per acre. It was very superior land. 317. What was the character of the land you bought from the leaseholders ?—lt was very similar and I paid a similar price for it. ' 318. In your opinion, is the land at the Wakatipu quite equal to any land in the Province ?—I believe that by some the land at the Taieri Plains is considered superior, but I believe that our climate is the best, and that makes up for any difference. ~ L PI 9" The Chairman.] Were you'induced to give this high price for the land in consequence of the district being largely settled by miners ?—Tes; and a general population too. 320. Do you consider land on the freeholds adjoining the workings of the miners to be very valuable on that account ?—Tes. J 321. The effect of the miners working in the neighbourhood of Eoxburgh, then, is to make the land more valuable ? —Of course it must. 322. Supposing the miners left the Wakatip, would the land maintain its present value ?—No I do not believe that its value in that case would exceed 20s. per acre. . 3p^ T ls there a S reat deal of hill 3 r country in the Wakatipu taken up under the Leasing Eegula--324. Mr. Studholme.] Is it not a fact that really good land in any part of the Colony is worth £2 per acre for pastoral purposes ?— Yes.

Mr. Hallenstein.

9th August, 1872,