RE THE RETRENCHMENT AT MOUMAKAKI.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 2 June 1910, Page 8

RE THE RETRENCHMENT AT MOUMAKAKI.

[To the Editor.] Sir,—At a -meeting of the Farmers' Union at Marton last week -the Hon. the Minister for Agriculture again made a.statement to the effect that I hail been reqiltated to reduce expenditure at Moumahaki and had not done so. 1 regret to have.,pgain to refer to this matter, but as Ills statement is not in accordance with tho facts of the case 1 am taking this opportunity of again, publicly contradicting him: ■ I frankly admit that in April, 1008, I got notice from the Departmental head of ray division, informing me that the vote for tho running of the farm was not likely to exceed , a certain gum, which amounted to about three-fifths of tho ordinary cost of running v the station. On more than one occasion I pointed out that it was impossible for me to continue the work on th<- farm as at that time constituted on the allocation mentioned. Notwithstanding this, up to the time I left, December 31 last,, neither the Minister nor anypne ill authority in the Department gave me the slightest outline, verbally or otherwise, of how I was to effect a saving of ,£IBOO in the cost, of running the station. True, on one occasion I -got instructions to .carry out I drastic curtailments in connection with the nursery,and to abolish a particular portion whicll previously had been discussed. Before I had time to commence the proposed curtailment the instructions . were countermanded by wire, and later the wire was confirmed by a memo. Imrther'than this I defy either the Minister, or anyone in authority in the Department!, to point to a single instance where they authorised or showed me how I was to bring about the proposed saving; furthermore.' no - one knows better than the hon. gentleman himself the ! limits of my. authority under his Ministerial guidance. I may further say. that for sixteen years mv sole, aim and* ambition was to try .to raise the status and usefulness of the farm, and' it was hardly' to bo expected'that I was to commence to pull it to pieces until I had some assurance as to how it. was proposed that I was to carry out the hon. gentleman's wishes. Most people who have any knowledge of farming matters will bear, me out*when I snv that .it talces something more than a bald statement or a flash, of the pen to effect a saving of .CIBOO in the cost of running a farm. One cannot help thinking that from the first tho Minister desired me to carry out curtailment which;he had not the courage of his own convictions to sanction. The further fact stands prominently out, that I had no sooner resigned than he placed a sum of .£OOO on the Supplementary Estimates for • continuing the work; when,; "be it noted,<£3so would 'have paid the wages of all the hands I had-to dispense with up to. March 31. Now he (tho Minister) acknowledges that the expenditure up to that date exceeded previous years. This I think' proves, conclusively that ho was afraid to continue the retrenchment I had reluctantly to initiate. Personally I em pleased to learn that the Minister has seen fit to continue the work, and had it not been that "on more 'than one occasion he has publicly Raid that I failed to .carry out his instructions, I would havo refrained from again referring , to. the. matter. When next the hon gentleman feels inclined to refer to Moumahaki lie might be good enough, to explain .what'retrenchment he authorised-me .to -carry:out that was not done. ..Until lie to the satisfaction of the public, he should keep in mind the fact that he is doing myself a public injustice by saying, that J did not carry out his instructions.. Trusting, .Mr. Editor, you will favour.me by inserting the above in your* next issue, and thanking^;you «in ...anticipation?—l am. etc.; t ' '' " " tl ' „ '. " F. GILLANDERS. A Hawera v 'May,3li/v R "