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THE VILLAGE SETTLE
MENTS.
A NEW SCHEME.
PYAP REACH LAND.
A largely attended meeting of these in
terested in the establishment of a village
settlement at Pyap Reach, situated on the
Murray, a few miles below Lyrup, was held
at the Selborne Hotel on Eriday morning.
About 70 people were present, including
ladies, and Mr. A. J. Brookenhurat occupied
the chair. There iVere also present the Hons.
L). M. Charleston, M.L.C., and A. A. Kirk
patrick, M.L.C., Messrs. J. A. McPhersou,
M.P., E. L. Bachelor, M.P., T. Price, M.P.,
and E. W. Goneybeer, M.P.
Mr. Ejrkpatrick said he hoped tbey fully
recognised what they were about to undertake.
Should a settlement be formed he wished it
every success, and they could rest assured that
as a member of the Upper House he would do
all in his power to assist them. (Cheers.)
Mr. Price hoped they would not be carried
away by the present boom in village settle
ments. Before they formed a settlement they
should study the rules carefully, and remember
that nothing but hard work would make it a
success. They must recognise that they wer6
not going to live in luxury and ease, but must
at first be satisfied to simply make a living.
(Hear, hear.) They should be alive to the
importance of having a good leader- If he
did not prove a success they had power under
their rules to appoint a better man in his
place. Some said by forming a village com- j
mune they sacrificed their liberty, bub the i
case was really opposite. While they were
banded together in a settlement they enjoyed
far more liberty than if they were working or
struggling in the ciby for a wage. (Cheers.)
Mr. Batciielor explained the workings of
the Lyrup and Waikerie settlements, _ and
pointed out that the rules of both were iden
tical, and not as had been stated that one was
co-operative and the other communal. Both j
were equally co-operative. He dwelt on the
necessity of the settlers being prepared to
make the place they proposed going to a per- i
manenb home. It was nod to be a place where
they could go to tide over the depression. To
be a success the settlement must be essentially i
permanent. (Cheers.) So long as they re
mained united so long would they make their
settlement an ultimate success.
Mr. MoPherson said the reports from
Lyrup had been very encouraging, and though
the land there wa9 good, ao Pyap, according to
the information he had received, it was even
better, while the natural condition of the river
flows would make it easier for irrigation.
There was such a number of settlements
springing up they would most likely have to
turn their attention to establishing a depot in
Adelaide to supply their wants and where
they could send their produce for storage.
The principal thing that was needed^ to-day
was better organisation, so as to bring the
produce to the consumer with greater facilities.
Between the two there was a tremendous
waste of energy and wealth. The producers
around the city and in the hills were suffering
principally from lack of organisation at the
present time in bringing their stuff into thb
market. A member of Parliament told him
that fruit which could be bought in Adelaide
at 2s. 8d. a case went up 8s, by the time it
reached a certain district in the north. If
this were true surely organisation was needed
to bring about a better condition of things.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Conevbeer said when up at Morgan,
where he left the Waikerie settlers, he heard
very good reports of the Pyap land ; in fact he
was told that it was the pick of the River
Murray. If they were only true to each other
they were bound to auoceed.
A vote of thanks was passed to the members
of Parliament for their attendance,' and Mr.
Charleston replied.. -
Mr. Brookenhurat .was elected chairman of
the association; Mr. J. W. Rawnsley, secre
tary ; and Messrs. G. Bennett, A G. Illman,
and G. Atble a provisional committee. Already
10,000 acres of land have been applied for, and
the rules will be considered on Monday morn
ing at a meeting to be held at the Selborne
Hotel. In the meantime two of the members
will proceed to the Murray to inspect the
land and report to the meeting.
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