RUNANGA PURCHASE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1586, 1 November 1912, Page 3

RUNANGA PURCHASE.

LANDS COMMITTEE REPORTS. ME. G. W. RUSSELL'S POSITION. The report.of the lands Committee of the House of Representatives on details in connection with the. purchase and fencing of part of Ruuanga No. 1 . Block, was presented'to the House yesterday, by Mr. & Newman, M,P., chairman of tho. coinThe committee reported that it examined the- following-. witnesses:^.' Stroucnon, Untler-Secretary for Lands; H.'.A. Walstte, Assistant-Surveyor, Lands. Department; W. C Kensington, 1.5.0., late Under- , Secretary for Lands;-!*. Iveeiie, land agent, Wellington; R< Bsere, solicitor, Wellington;. P. JV Taylor, setter; Ihmanga; 1. ■Ballin, Christchjirch; and A. Patterson, accountant, Lands Department. ■'...•; '• "Mr. -Russell,. M.P.,". the report continues, "attended a meeting-of the Lands -.Committee, read and put hi a written .statement, but declined to answer questions or give evidence, on the ground that there was no charge .against him,, "The coiniaittea'having given the whole 'matter iheir careful consideration, decided to formulate certain questions and ■Est down their .answers ■.thereto.- The. questions .and answers are as follow:— • (I). Was it desirable..that.',.the/Government acquire the property?— Yes. •■■ • ■ (2) Gould fho land purchased, other than that ncfajally,ircqujred' for. roads, 1», a.cquired- W iiny other way oxcon.fc by. pn-. vate' treaty ?— Tes, but .it was, not advisable to do &?:. ..' . • , ;-_i. '■ ~ (3). Was the price excessive?— Not. under ■the circumstances. .-' . ..' . . ■ ' (4) Was Mr. Russell, M.P.,. responsible for the completion of the,sale of this portion of Ituiianga , to ' the Y-es, by redusins the price from ,C 4, which ■had been askeil-b'y' the .previous, owner, to., .£2 10s.' per. acre, " . ■ ■', . •,(5) Did ■Mγ. ■ Bilssoll. M.P., use unduo influence .as a member of Parliament to 'effect the. sale?— No. '.''.'. N (6) Did Mr. Eussell, M.P., conduct, the .negotiations.in .liisowii. nanieF-t-No.. All the negotiations were conducted by him in the name of Thomas-Ballin, the previous owner and Mr. W. C. Kensinston-, then 'Under-Secretary- for Lands, stated in evidence that he did not recognise Mi\ R.nssell ns:.the"owner. " ■■-~■■,. . "The Committee jrecominewds that the provisions of Section 59. of the Lands for. Settlements Act, 100S, should bo. extended' ■so as to enable lands acquired, not only under Paragraph b of ..Section G of the. La.nds for. Settlements Act,- , 1908,. but also lands acquired, under Paragraphs (c) ■and (e) of Section. 6 to be held under tile same tenure as the neighbouring Growii lands." . ■■ •■ • ' ..■■'■ Paragraph .B' of Section 0 of the 'Lands for . Settlements Act, 1908, reads: viding land as sites for homesteads for .'neighbouring pastoral Crown land/' Paragraph (c) reads:. "Providing low-lying .land necessary for the working of neigh* - .bowing pastoral ijrown' lands." Parasrn,pU(e) reads: "Providing land by 'purchase or'exchange, biit not by compulsory taking, 'in order to consolidate any' estate acquired, under this Act or to readjust its boundaries." Section 59 of the same- Act provides that where settlement land is suitable, for a. homestead: -sito 1 far neighbouring pastoral Crown land-it may bo acquired for, that purpose/with the approval of the Loud' Board.; For the purposes of thissection the' limitation provisions of the Land Act do not apply. Mr. <5. \V. Russell said that he did not ftvoposo at that late period in the ses* sion to discuss .this Matter. He -Would only >say that he would deal with it when he met. his constituents a little later in the year. . . 'No other member spoke iind the renort was laid on the table. :