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An "Unfortunate" Forty-acre Man.

Sir,—I am one of the 40-acre new-comers, settled upon the Maunga Karamea Block about 70 miles north of Auckland, and perhaps the experience of one of this class extending over a period of twelve months may not be uninteresting to you.

Like most of us, when we first arrive I was anxious to get possession of some of the best land and nothing but the best, or at all events such as was considered so, and accordingly made my selection in a block then high in favour, and for every lot of which there were from twenty to thirty competitors, and the consequence was I got none. Made wiser by this experiment, I determined to lose no further time in endeavouring to obtain what had the reputation of being best land only, and fancying that land quite as good might be found which had no reputation at all, I made my selection successfully in the next block which was brought to sale, and have had no reason whatever to be dissatisfied. When I arrived upon my land, now scarcely twelve months back, there was not a single white man to be found within a distance of five miles of me, but the change that has taken place in this short time is scarcely credible, and has been a matter of the greatest astonishment to me. Other settlers have arrived in great numbers, and I am now surrounded by a very considerable and still increasing number of excellent neighbours; from my own land I can get a view of five romantic looking dwelling houses, giving life and picturesque effect to the landscape, while nearly thirty families whose united numbers amount to nearly, if not quite a hundred souls are located within a circle of two or three miles of me. During the whole time I have been here I have never heard any settler complain either of his land or his lot, and believe that every one is perfectly satisfied with both. New and good roads are springing up around us, where there were none before, I have no longer occasion to go half a day's journey for my supplies, as there is an excellent store within easy distance; we have also our own Post Office, through which this letter will reach you, and society quite as agreeable as is to be found in Auckland itself.

As to the land, the general character of the whole block is of first rate quality, but as it consists of many thousand acres, it of course varies; it is generally undulating, but amongst it are some fine low levels, and there is scarcely any of it that will not repay cultivation. I was successful in growing vegetables of every description the first year, potatoes enough for my consumption; cabbages, pumkins, melons, cucumbers, &c. in abundance, as also Indian corn: page 101apple-melons I have grown, weighing twenty-five pounds each; there is abundant keep for our cattle, and cows and horses selected with judgment, all thrive well. I have several acres cleared ready for cropping next year, grass seed sown for the commencement of a paddock, a substantial and dry roof over my head, and next year I have no doubt my land will be entirely self-supporting, that is, that it will grow sufficient for all my requirements in the way of food of every description for myself and animals, a prospect with which I am, and think I ought to be, perfectly satisfied.

Such are some of the results of twelve months' experience in the Bush, and if you think it will serve any useful purpose you are quite at liberty to publish it.