A CHEVIOT SECTION.
ALLEGED MINISTERIAL INTERFERENCE. WHAT THE FILES SHOW. In the Hou.'.e of yesterday afternoon, the lion. W. l'\ Jlassey laul on the talji:> tile .Departmental tile in connection with a small section of land at Cheviot, upon the disposition of which some comment has been made by tho Opposition press. The position of affairs disclosed is that section 20 on the Cheviot Estate is a very desirable and rich little section of M acres in extent, which was originally set aside as a limestone reserve. Not being required for this purpose (or rather an attempt at working liaving failed), the land was let on a temporary lease to one Ji. li. Holton, from January 1, 18!)!), at an animal rental-qf .tl 3s. 7d. Holton had a neighbouring l.i.n. section of over 300 acres, and this extra land was useful to him for securing access to portion of his own leased property. Towards the end of last year the Cliristchurch Land Board rcceiv;d applications from various people for tho scction of 3| acres, and in due course decided to terminate Mr. Helton's lease, and let the section bo balloted for on terms of renewable lease, at an annual rental of 12s. per acre, and to grant Ilolton a right-of-way of half a chain in width for access to his other property. With this course the Departmental head in Wellington did not agree, and replied on January 29 that tlit/ Department did not approve of the proposal to offer for a renewable lease, because the section was too small. It was recommended that if the section was to bo disposed of it should be sold for cash. At tk> hist meeting of the Cliristchurch Land Board the forner decision was reversed, and Ihc decision made to offer the' land at public auction. Because of this action the Prime Minister has been subjected to Opposition press criticism on the ground that this course gives an undue advantage to the farmer (Holton) to secure the land over tho humbler aspirants; and it was further suggested that a recent appointee to the Land Board was "not wholly disinterested" in the disposition of the section. It was further alleged that "the real reason for the instruction to the board to sell for cash was, no doubt, that Mr. Massey's supporters had approached him to allow tlie section to remain in the possession of the previous tenant." The Departmental files plainly show that tho Department all through lias been in favour ot the sole of the property, and that tho Prime Minister has not been directlv concerned at all. A memorandum from the Under-Secretary on July 11 says:—"l still consider the section should be offered for sale, as already decided, but if ... . you think it better not to do so, it could be reserved for limestone purposes and leased for a term of It years." The suggestion about the interestednessof tho recent appointee to the board is dealt with by the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Cliristchurch, who pays: "Mr. Lee, the latoiv appointed member, is a son-in-law of Mr. li. B. Holton. I knew nothing of this relationship, and it is only what I learned to-day. Mr. Lee, however, took no active part in the decision of tho board to offer the land for cash."'
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Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1803, 16 July 1913, Page 3
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550A CHEVIOT SECTION. Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1803, 16 July 1913, Page 3
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