MILITARY SETTLERS IN TARANAKI. (FROM THE "HriIALD," APRIL 25.) Oon reatlers have been for some time awaie that tho Government weie in tieaty with the Tutaiaimiika sefctleis for the purchase of that block of land. Wo aie now able to lay befoie them a couespondence, fiom which it appeals that, failing to agree as to piice, the Colonial Secietaiy has applied to the Super intendent and Provincial Council for an Act to make the iivla compulsoiy, "at a fan piicu," and to empower the Government to take such paits of it as may be wanted to enable them to cany out the scheme which they have in view. Tln3 scheme is to buy the lund, divide it into small allotments of ten r.oies 01 *o e.ich, and give it to dis ch aged soldieis, wlto are to piy for it by mihtaiy seivice. * Jfc will be seen at once that theie are two ways of looking at this scheme. Fust, as to how it would be tieatinpt the bettlen whose land it is pioposed to take in this »nmmai y way; secondly, how it would affect the welfaie of tlio Piovince, 01 rathei (for it comes to that) of tlio Colony. On the fiist point it is not necessary to say much. The Bettleis offeied their land at what they thought a fair pi i co, and which would not have been thought extiava gant oueo — langiug fioin £S to £10 an acie — but they reckoned it at Us value befoio the war. Tlio Govern ment, on the othei hand, appear to think it should be taken at something like its piesent value, which is another thing altogethei, and one voiy difficult to esti mate. Given, a noli fieehold estate, winch the owner cannot occupy, anil hoin which no piofit is, or is likely to be deilved foi an indefinite numbei of yeais — to asceitaiu what it ia woith' If its maiUet value is little, it is haidly becoming in those to say so whose business it was to give tho owneis occupation of their laud. The aigmnent of tlie Government seems to us something like this " Guntlemen, we want youi land. The price you put upon it is suiely fanciful. 