PETTY TYRANNIES AND THE LEASEHOLD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1333, 10 January 1912, Page 6

PETTY TYRANNIES AND THE LEASEHOLD.

Sir,—At a recent meeting of the local Land Board, these events were reported :— (1) Tho steward reported that Mr. was living by himself on his section.—lt was resolved to advise him that his wife and family should take up their residenco also. (2) Mr. , lessee of certain sections, wrote applying for leave of absence for nine months to enable him to visit England; he proposed leaving.next February. —It was resolved to approve on the usual conditions. i

Surely though a man may himself willingly put up with the hardships of back-block life, he may rightly shrink from taking his womankind to sharo. them, until some of the roughnesses have been smoothed down. Can he not be allowed to decide, without the assistance of the meddlesome Land Board or its officials, at what stage his farm is fit for the reception of his wife and family? By what right should a board bo empowered to force women and children to unnecessary hardships? Again, can it be possible that a lessee may not even tako a short trip to tho Old Country without coming, cap in hand, to ask leave, like a little schoolboy?

Is it not a marvel that lessees can be found to endnre such a system? If, indeed, New Zealanders have bo feeble a loto of liberty that they tolerato such petty tyrannies, then in truth they deserve all they get. It would seem as if the'function of a Land Board were to .make land settlement unpopular. But this is certain, that all who suffer those irritating tyrannies becorao convinced adherents of the freehold tenure, under which they would he free from. such annoyances.

I well remember, not so long ago, that a Government lessee, feeling that his Land Board assumed the right To direct all his private concerns, sent them a photograph of his fiancee, with a request for their consent -to his marriage. Of course the board failed to appreciate the exquisite humour, and the request was received without a smile.

JTere is another chance for the party of Reform. The freehold is the only tenure for a self-respecting and liberty-loving citizen. As a step to the freehold, tho leasehold is well enough; but a leaseholder is a bondsman, and it should bo the highest aim of every democrat to free the bondsmen from their chnins. —I am, etc., . . S.R.

SHORT-WEIGHT BREAD, Sir,—l notice in the reports of tho Magistrate's Court ' three bakers wore fined 10s. and costs for selling shortweight'bread. It is not, I think, generally known that a baker must give 32 ounces for a two-pound loaf. Families (especially the poorer ones) keep •no scales. Hence, to protect the public, the. inspectors need, to be more alert. As it. is now, they wait until a complaint is made, then they visit the baker s shop, where a special loaf may be kept for a suspected inspector. As late us last Saturday four supposed two-pound loaves were delivered nt the writer's house. One loaf weighed 8 ounces short, Hie four loaves together 18 ounces-short. It needs but a very simple calculation to show how this state of affairs must nffect the poor. We hear on every .side complaints us to the cost of living. Can it be wondered at when we find the staple article of food is short-weighted to the tuno of about.l 2 to 15 per cent.? A small pair of household scales can Iμ purchased for. about ss. The Health Office is the place -lo report to (telephone number 1780. It is the duty of every person receiving short-weight to at once report it. If this is done there will soon bo a different -late of affairs.—l am, etc., 16 OZ. TO THE LB.