A COMMISSION CRITICISED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 600, 31 August 1909, Page 6

A COMMISSION CRITICISED.

' SUBDIVISION OF, CANTERBURY RUNS. (By Teleßraph.-Specl*! lOorresDondent.) -.h-.u > Christchurch, .lugust 30. ■'y.jThe composition of tho cominisaion appoint-v-W.j : Ed,to adviso tho Government .upon 'the sub'-, division of tho Canterbury hill oountry runs j i.' has caused much surprise. The commissioner ' ■/.'■■■■'.■■■. to represent jthe Mackenzie County is (• ■ RobertGuthrie, of • Burke's Pass, a : gentle- ■■■ -man of -disappointed political aspirations, ;■ who has made himself active' in the agitation ' upon which the commissioners are supposed 'to/ pass ;an'Unbiased opinion. "Mr. m. Reoves,"; remarks the "Press/.'"has achieved | somo distinction as a journalist, -and it was i a loss to the profession when he gave up.| j - the editorship of a : local. paper with proBounced Liberal-Labour views to try the I ,• . . . charms, : of pastoral .lifoon tho V Ashburton t plains. Far be it from us -to shake thetoubh-. i ing belief of: the-.public in an editor's omni-1 Wl- "science, : but . candour -compels, us to state that we,-fail to see how the conduct of a

: .Liberal-Labour newspaper, even when reinforced by ashort practical'experience of : \/ farming on perfectly I level 1,-ind, can qualify any man to givo expert advice as to tho sul>y. division" of pastoral runs ■in the high coun- • ' try. Mr. Parish, .the Ashley, representative, : . possesses at least ono qualification in common; / with the other two, - namely, that ho is of r • tho right colour, politically, v Strangely enough, -hoi: too,: has been: connected with journalism.- Originally a draper at Oxford, in which , business, we believe, ho was-very successful, h6 subsequently owned and con- '.. ducted a small weekly journal knowp as 'The '. Oxford Observer and Democrat,' which lived fop-about nine >years. ■«At : tho /present- time, . I we believe, Mr. Pariih bas a .small ■ run in . . ' the Ashley district. Tho whole arrangement appears to us to be not only illegal; but a farce. Had the Government appointed tho ' commission . provided \by the Land Act, and Belect'jrl 1 D.v Ritchie, late Secretary v for Agriculture, and . now a member of - the "Land Purchase Board, as tho third mcmbeV, a report might havo been .submitted - that; ■ would bo of some valuer Failing Mr; Ritchie's ' . appointment, there are many experienced men, any or>e of -whom would be capable of giving much -moro valuable advice■ on the/ '/' A subject than is likoly to emanate from/the chosen threo."