WHY?

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 913, 5 September 1910, Page 8

WHY?

WILL THE MINISTER EXPLAIN?

; ;Th'e following curious story of; Minis-; terialiiiterferenco reaches.us-ifrom;,'the' ■'settler'...wio^-lias;'sii[fored;'fromv;jt.'' : ':V'\Vtf /record the facts as sent to 'iisV by/Mr/ A.'Coxhead;' juiiioi',':'the:settler in. question., .His,, letter; /which is ;dat«'d. YVha'ngamouioua ■ August 29,'' is as' follows '■:—:[ ,'■' "Through the medium'.. of'.- tho.' press 1 should;like: to expose Arhat'l'cohsidei'; most-unfair /treatment;'- 6y," the : Goveru.irient's. administration .or. lands/.■' 1 had arranged;:.! or/the- purchase, of;"a, lease.'of a farm, in the'-. 0f;653' acres,', 'through- 'tile/agency;; of Mr./Nowton'.-.Kihg, and//iii ...tliu,-'i:3uaJ, course* ■a'pjjlibd';"to.!-th'e" New.'Plymouth' L'and;iJ6Ehl ; ''bii.;'Jtfne.' :^;-l for'-.a' , -tva;uaier;. and-.;attended on-.the- board 'with -trans-/ ,'Fe'rbr, • prepared' to - support; the; appli'ca'tibn. "■ -Tho- board -granted ;flie; traiiater . asking any. questions,'. -: and' on 'tho strength of; this, with the consent'.of the vendor, 1. stocked'.up the: -farm with breeding ey/es.; .AVc were -quite .aware that, the/Minister's' consent,had to be. obtained, but this has only been con-' sidercd,a matter of form,.for .up .to ,thu present tiuiiK'l.iihi/gn.oii.lo'u.'iderstaiul that af£er-;the Land Board;(who arc supposed t to bb/.conversant, with : this facts) have granted a /.transfer/there ■has never, been ; a "case of, tho .'refusing.,. The reply received from' tlibsCommissioner of .Crown- Lands, to tie .solicitor for'/the-vendor;reads: ", ; ', ; '"."'.ln reply to .'•your: letter' of- June . ; 17 last, I.have to inform'yo'u that;/ \ the; transfer of 'Mr. "W. .6'.' ITargie's, ' ;'interest in Lease, 5730,/640!), £600; /' ,'' and 7.900, to. Mr'.. A/. Coxhead, -jim., . : .'■ .'has .been .refused.. .

"This"without'' any reason .given. To make my. case ..clear,. I would;Jike.:'to' state my position to show that my replication is ; eligible...'. T• have--.' held 'a lease of 322 acres, second-class land, for eleven years. ,0f .this' I. have felled and grassed 260 acres, built a cottage and'erected a large amount of-fenciijg, yet on- the. face of .this, -the'.section! ; being such a poor one- that on my applying, to. the Government Advances to Settlors Office.last, year for an advahes of £500; they would only; advance me £350, thus,showing that I am..not.the. possessor'of, a valuable property.'"As"-a matter of fact, it'is impossible for a man to make a living, off th^e.,section, and of this the members of. the hoard are quite aware'. As the. law allows mo to hold 2000 acres second-class hind; and these two : properlies aggregate less than 1000 acres, I consider the Minister has gono out of his-way to block me from making a living."