Page 7 Advertisements Column 1

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 197, 19 April 1878, Page 7

O The question of giving 1 sufficient •publicity to the advertisements connected with the Waste Lands Board was briefly discussed by the Board on Wednesday. From the Morning Herald we clip the following report of the discussion which transpired on the subject :— Mr Eastings, who introduced the subject, sa:d : There is a great outcry throughout the country about the present system of advertising the Crown lands. The Chief Commissioner : Our instructions are these — that we should give an abstract of the land sales to the paper of the district wherein they are to be held as well as to publish it in the Otago Daily Tiroes. Mr Bastings : It has not been done in the case of the Tuapeka land sales. The Chief Commissioner : Yes ; instructions were forwarded to have the abstract published in the Tuapeka Times. Mr Bastings : Well, I did not see it. I am complaining of the whole system •of advertising. The advertisements are "pti't'in such small type that you want a magnifying glass to see them. Now, if any man of private means wanted to get rid of his estate, would be ever think of taking up the niggardly means adopted by the Government? It is false economy. It is merely saving by the spigot and letting it out at the bung-hole '! What I mean is that every land sale should have fair and reasonable publicity before the day of sale. The Chief Commissioner: I have taken the responsibility of publishing bills of the land sales in the different parts of the country. Mr Bastings : Well, I have done my duty in bringing this matter before the *. Board. • Mr Thomson : The Times is not circulated up country at all. The Witness is circulated to some extent. The Chief Commissioner : I hear that the Witness has the largest circulation in the country districts. Mr Bastings : Supposing it is in the Daily Times or the other paper, it should be of a size that will attract attention. People are looking out for it, und frequently do no see it until the •day of sale. When you have to take a magnifying glass to make it out, it is really false economy. The Chief Commissioner: If you want me to do anything in the matter, I shall he very glad to do it. Mr Bastings : It is not the present Government. It was the late Government that was afraid to spend a shilling in* advertising. The Chief Commissioner : I will en- ' large the abstracts for the country papers. The Board then adjourned without passing, any definite resolution on the •subject. -,-.