A VIGOROUS PETITION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 669, 20 November 1909, Page 7

A VIGOROUS PETITION.

AGAINST: -HAWKE'S BAT LAND BOABD. '. A- has been . presented to Pojliamcnt. by ;Mr: .Eustace. Lane, representative of ..the. Crown tenantsv'qn.tho Hawke's '-Bay. Land - Board, against his. ejection from "a meeting of the-board at the instance of tho chairman on October 9, although petitioner offered to submit! to the ruling;of tho chair if endorsed by. resolution of member's present.. The circumstances of the. ejection' > were fully; re--.ported,.at'the'tira.e;:-.•■■'-■■ . . ■' . ' : • The petitioner .states that ho;was illegally ejected and .deprived, of his seat, and the board then! becanio illegally constituted, and .its business has .'since .been irregularly-conducted. In ;tho "future, as in the past, it may be his duty to point out the loss and annoyance which.may result to Crown tenants through incompctencies, irregularities, inconsistencies, illegalities,, in-, justices," and indecisions.'. -But under existing 'conditions the .'Petitioner 'as, .deprived : \of :his right,'and, to'claim it .by further attendance would be. .to court 'recurrence of violence-arid ;','The : chairman has stated ; publicly that as, Commissioner, of Lands'he,-has to act- on: instructions -apart.'■ from ;those of ; the board, .and-some instructions arei on record as .'Cabinet instructions'to -the board itself. The chairman has. stated publicly that, as Commissioner, of Lands. he'.may. withhold.-.correspon-dence from: members!pf the board;- :. : . i,.;.' •-. "Thereforo - your petitioner' humbly sheweth • that a board—which • has no -rules,; regulations,! pow'er,-tp'issue instructions, or. investigate all details and correspondence,: and- the members of .which ,aro! subject to the dictation; of the chairman , solely as; , to what,they may say or ' refer .'toTthas no' constitution,".'and ;is not the ,'croation■ of : .y our.-.honourable House,■.'-but.<a bogus .board,;, a farce, and '■ .waste of. public money. .And; therefore- your petitioner seeks Parliamentary -investigation of. thosoveral' matters: referred: to os-'critically, affecting-,the men ho. represents;' and .seeks from yoil that protection ■which yoii' intended'.to.ibestowl with : tho :.privilege'and rightvyott'granted/'tot.Crown tenantserf a sent on*the: real , Land: Board which you : 'created,:and,'.'iiot'.on'tlie-duniiny. board which your petitioner.showef-h.to exist." , ; ; ; ! V'The-petition was presented , by-i11r... Hassey. :