VALIDATION COURT DECISION.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 168, 27 July 1901, Page 4

VALIDATION COURT DECISION.

Tiie decision recently given by His Honor Judge Batham in the Validation Court was referred to at the meeting of the County Council meeting yesterday, when the letter received from Mr W. L. Rees was discussed.

Cr King said that as the matter was now before the Appeal Court, it would be unwise for the Council to move in the matter. Ho thought that it would be in the interests of the district for the Bank to realise under its mortgages. Cr Cooper: If you ask the Government

to take over those lands, and they do so, it only means shutting- them up for the next twenty years. If the Government did take it over, the settlers who went on it would not bo able to live. The land would not keep them at the price they would have to pay in the way of rent. The settlers would immediately cry out for a reduction of rent, as they arc doing at present in the case of other blocks secured in this district.

Cr Mossman : That is very true. Cr Cooper : The Bank should at once realise on their mortgages. They would bo able to attract capital to the district. It is the very thing that is wanted, and it would be unwise for us to interfere.

Cr King: Cr Cooper fears that if the Government takes over the laud you would have barmaids settling on" it. (Laughter.) Cr Cooper : That is the class of settlers you would get. The Bank will be able to deal with ti e land much more advantageously than the Government will. IVo hear a great deal of the dummyism and speculation that is going on in connection with the balloting. Cr King : Let us leave this matter alone. We cannot do anything with it. Besides, we arc a month behind the fair. The subject then dropped.