TEA AND SILK FARMING IN NEW ZEALAND. 239 



becoming his own property, if the payments have been kept 

 up, at the end of three years ; and for the farmer an annual 

 rent of 2s. 6d. per acre up to 100 acres, with the option 

 of absolute purchase at the end of seven years or before at the 

 rate of £3 per acre. It may be mentioned, also, as having an 

 important bearing upon the enterprise which has called forth 

 this essay, that the Manchester Company relies for its profit on 

 the enhanced value given to the remainder of their lands through 

 the influx of population and the construction of railways and 

 roads. Although this grand scheme hung fire for a little, it 

 speedily got into notice, and latterly there was even a pressure 

 to obtain the company's available land at £2 or £3 per acre for 

 cash, whilst large numbers of township sections have been dis- 

 posed of at £10 per acre outside townships to £25 per quarter of 

 an acre in central spots. 



This short review of the Manchester settlement paves the 

 way for allusion to a similar enterprise, but on a much smaller 

 scale, proposed to be combined with the operations of the Xew 

 Zealand Chasericultural Company. It has been suggested that 

 this corporation, when formed, should be prepared to grapple 

 with the duties connected with a land settlement association, 

 and acquire an additional area of perhaps 30,000 acres. The 

 responsibility would be considerable, but so, no doubt, would 

 be the return. It is well known that the local Government 

 profess anxiety to promote the establishment of new industries 

 at the Antipodes, and it is believed that encouragement, as in 

 the present case, may not be withheld when the arrangements 

 are farther advanced. One of the early results of the successful 

 establishment of chasericulture there would be an immediate 

 influx of the numerous kindred and other trades and professions 

 which elsewhere invariably gather around the centres of great 

 industries. In order to accommodate these, and to reap some 

 immediate advantage to the syndicate from the accompanpng 

 demand for space, and the consequeut enhancement in the value 

 of the adjoining land which must certainly follow, it is proposed, 

 as above stated, that a large surrounding or adjacent expanse 

 should be secured. It is at this point, also, that the promise 

 made a few pages back (having reference to agriculturists who 

 may have lost or been obliged to abandon their farms in the old 

 country on account of the amalgamation of lesser holdings into 

 others of greater dimensions) may be implemented. By way 

 of encouragement to such to immigrate, advantages might be 

 held out to selected farmers of proved ability and some means, 

 along with labourers and others of good character, correspond- 

 ing somewhat with those ofTorcd on the ]\ranchester settle- 

 ment. A good and firm foundation of well-understood industrial 

 activity would thus be laid, a fair certainty of having always at 



