LAND COMMISSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1434, 19 April 1905, Page 3

LAND COMMISSION.

A CHAPTEB EBOM BAKAIA.

The N.Z. Herald gives the tfollowing telegram . from Christchurch concerning

r-tho Xjand Commission proceedings Bakaia Tbs ’Chairman explained that be hi . decided to call a meeting, and bad a ‘ ranged for the Crown lands ranger to % round the district and see if any settle: would like to give evidence. The rangi bad Informed him that ho had, done tbi ■ vx-and that several settlers would be presen If any gentleman present wished to git evidence he said he wonld be obliged they would kindly come up. There wo no response to this request. . After a long silence Mr C. A. C. Hardj M.H.B. for the district, who was presen! said he bad been asked by a number o people if the Commission was going ti hold a meeting there, and had replied ir the negative, as he had noted that m meeting had been advertised. In othe places where the Commission had gonadal meetings had been advertised. There were a number of people living about Dunsandsl who were particularly anxious to give evidence. He was very sorry if he had misled them in saying that there would be no meeting. The Chairman : Oh, you did not mislead them. You are just stating what is the fact. We have a meeting at Christohurch on Saturday in the Provincial Hall at ten o’clock, and on Tuesday and Wednesday after Easter. By this time a few other villagers had strolled into the meeting. The chairman made another appeal for evidence. Mr Mathison hoped the chairman would not get the Dnnsandel people to come into Chriatohurch on Saturday. The Commission had already a big day before it on Saturday. The Chairman asked if Saturday wbb not the day for people coming into town. Mr Hardy said it was not. Wednesday was the market day. The Chairman said Mr Hardy might intimate to one or two of the settlers that the Commission would bo glad to hear them if they thought fit to come iu on the “Wednesday morning. Mr McCradie said that they could hardly expect witnesses to go all that way, losing time and paying their own expenses. He suggested that the settlers should nominate two of their number, aDd that the Com- , mission should pay their expenses. ' Mr Johnson said the suggestion was premature. If Mr Hardy had commuicated with the Commission no doubt a meeting would have been arranged at Bakaia. Mr Hardy said he would not like to com- ~ municate with the Commission. That was entirely outside his function. After another pause the chairman said’ ho supposed th9y must just cultivate the virtue of patience. Mr Mathisou : I move that we adjourn. The Chairman : Ob, surely, surely not. I already told you to-day that I sent the Crown ranger round the whole of this day, abd be bas told me that several witnesses would come. After another pause the chairman said that evidently there was no desire on the part of those present to give evidence, and again suggested that they Bhould adjourn. The Chairman : It is early yet, you know, end some of the settlers’ may have to walk a mile or so. > After some talk between Mr Hardy and the chairman about one of the Bolleston settlements, the Chairman paid : I 'see some have come in since we began the meeting. Are any of you gentlemen wishing fo'give evidence ? If you are inclined or even if you are not inclined, to come up, we invite you. It is not an ordeal. I may tell you we are just anxious to know how you ere getting on, and will ask you a few questions, in driving about to-day we witnessed the little homesteads, which went qnite to my heart, and I rejoiced exceedingly to see' the wonderful progress made. A man in the body of the court here

A man in the body of the court here rose and said that there were none of the aettlera Mr Hardy spoke about present. The Chairman : Oh 1 is there not ? Mr Johnson pointed out that that would got prevent any other witness from giving evidence. The Chairman agreed. He said he would bo glad to hear anyone in the place who took an interest in land matters. Since tho Commission had come there 'it would liko to do something. They usually had a large number of witnesses, sometimes more than they oould conveniently put through. Aftrr a painful silence Mr Hall asked if the ranger was present. The Chairman said he thought he was outside. Hr Hall suggested that he should be brought in to give evidence. Several Members : No, no l The Chairman : Ob, do you think not ? All right. < Mr Hardy and the chairman now indulged in a little conversation about irrigation, which helped to fill np another pause. A church bell outside then tolled and Mr Hardy (breaking in upon another s Biiecco) said. “ Ob, if any of you goptleytesen would like to go to church tbo belies ringing. I may say lam a churchwarden-, myself.” Mr Forbes : I move that wo now adjourn. r The Cbu'rmnD : Ob, no. Ob, no. Just keep guiet for a little.' My Malhison ; I’ll second it. The Chairman refused to put the motion. Mr Mathison : 1 really - think we [have

done these people sufficient justice, Tbe Chairman : I put it not os a personal matter, but from a sense of public duty, that we should remain hero until eight o'clock. Mr Mathison : It is not so much on —a. but on the mistaken way we that grou— , *"«etiDg that I wont to have arranged this adiourn. , . , The Chairman said he knew some ol.the Commissioners were not very well. He mentioned Mr HcCatdlo. Mr McCardlo : “ Oh, I am alright.” Tbe Chairman mentioned Mr McLennan’s name. Mr McLennan : “ I’ll stop here till ten o’clock.” , _ , Mr Mathison (soto voce) : I only regret I did not-bring my oamera down.” At this stage Messrs Johnston and Panll left the hall,-and did not return. Mr Forbes : Can we get a ranger in, sir, and ask him about tho witnesses ? The Chairman : He reported to me that three or four witnesses would be in. I have already told you twice, and if VOU want to debate tho matter you had better go outside.

I Mr Forbos ; I moved a resolution that I we adjourn, but I don’t mind. J The Ohairman : I ask you just to wait | till eight o’clock, and wo will adjourn | then. I thick that a time to j wait. I ask you to respeot what I said, the I Mr Forbos : I have moved that rosolast I lotion. the J The Ohairman :If any of you gentleont I men wish to move out into the fresh air I the j would like you to be within hail up to eight ino I o’clock. ?ho I After another pause the tension was rens J lioved by a man who rose and stated that al- I lie only had a quartor of an aoro of land, nd I and it might bo deemed an impertinence ith I for him to oomo forward, ay I Tho Chairman : Not a bit. You oomo 11. I forword. a I This gontlomon, the looal secretary of at I the Liberal and Labor Federation, camo a- lup and was duly sworn, and gave his st I name as Biohard John Gee. Ho Baid be I d, I wa3 a painter. Ho spoke briefly of tho I ( e, I prosperity of tho distriot, and said he I h I favored lease in perpetuity tenure. j f | The Chairman said he was very much I f I obliged to the witness. He had given I . I very good evidence. I i j No other witnesses, offering, Mr Gee re- I a j marked that there was a young man pre- I I sent from tho Mead settlement, but ho was I .. | a little bashful. I I The Chairman : Is this young man I I hero ? I I Mr. Gee : Yes. I ~ I The Chairman : Come up, come up ;j & I we’ll not put you through any [[groat [ I oross-examiuatioo. I I The young man proved to bo Bobt. I; I Shannon, *• a leaseholder out and out.” . J j I After ihe stood down Robert Crossbie I I Burns, another settler on the Mead settle- I im I ment, spoke iu favor of the leasehold, and I fol I complained of the r Interference of the I I Farmers’ Union. J Asked how ho had come there he said I tho Crown lands ranger had told him of I tho mooting that morning, j This witness’ oyidenos concluded a re- I markable ,meeting. Ohrlstohuroh was I A reached at twenty minutes to eleven p.m. I f ror