TE AUTE TRUST.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1755, 22 May 1906, Page 2

TE AUTE TRUST.

(Pm Presa Aaeoclatlon.) Nspier, last night

Giving evidence before tbe Te Aate Trust Commission to-day, Mr Thornton, headmaster of the school, said when he took charge in 1878 tbe highest standard of the echool was equal to about the lowest class cow. The education was directed in suoh channels as to qualify the natives to engage in commercial pursuits, and the results bad been most gratifying. The young Maori party, which' had done good work in improving religiously, socially, and morally the tone of tbe past, was formed by old Te Aute College boys, and Mr Ngat», a member of the present Commission, had been seoretary for many years, The aim of tbe Te Ante instruction was to raiee suoh a standard as wouid lead '.be boys to feel responsible for the future of their race. Arohdeacon Williams was very largely responsible for the success of the Echool. His whole heart and soul were iu tbe work. In taking pupils, as a rule, preference was given to natives, but no European boy was refused unless there was good reason.

FURTHER EVIDENOE.

(Per Press Association.) Napier, last night. The To Aute Trust Commission wSs*’” continued to-day. John Thornton, headmaster of the Te Aute College, replying to questions by the Commissioners, said that about 500 pupils bad passed through his hands sinoe taking over the school, an average of 20 pupils a year leaving the College. The eohool authorities were going to t*ki farther action in the matter of technical ednp»tioD. Witness would like to see an Agricultural College established in connection with the school as a separate institution. He believed this would meet the views of most of the Maoris of the present day. If there was an Agricultural College they could specialise aud draft there the boys not adapted for the higher studies. He believed in teaching the boys trades, but thoaght this oould only be done by the establishment of industrial schools. G. P. Donnelly, sheep farmer, said a great deal of money had been spent in improving the estate, and he said tbs management of Te Ante was excellent, and the estate was worked to the best possible advantage. Hawke’s Bay had a dry climate, and it remained to be seen if dairying would be a success here. Part of the To Aute flats might prove suitable for dairying, but ho did not thick it would bo a success on the hilly oountry. Ho considered that from 1871 to 1878 Is 61 per acre would have bsen a fair rent for the estate for a Eevea years’ lease, 5s 31 from 1878 to 1892, and about 6i per aore from 1892 to 1899. The trustees wars old aud experienced settlers, quite capable of knowing what was the beet thing to do, and no doubt they thought they were quite justified in keeping Archdeacon as a tenant.

Sir Wm. Bussell, one of the trustees, said the public idea of the value of the Te Aute estate was ridiculously wroog. Inhere were 200 aores of rich level swamp, but only half of the estate was capable of being ploughed. When the question of re leasing came up he had gone veryoarefully into the question of cutting tbe land up into small block', and had discussed it with his oe-trustees, It was deoided that it was Better to have a tenant who would manage the estate to the best advantage, and it was thought that with such a tenant tbe estate would not suffer whatever hap-

pened, and who in the past had devoted his energies to the development of tbe estate. Another thiDg they had to consider was that there were no buildings belonging to the estate, whioh would be a very serious consideration in letting it to any other person. Witness quoted figures at which the Government nad acquired various estates, Elsthorpe, Hatuma, Argyll, a port’on of St. Lawrence, and Kakaurangi, with regard to values, and said that in companion with these the valuation ploool upon To Aute by Mr Horace Baker made the rental come to 6s 31 per aore, which

based on a valuation of JES per acre was higher than the Government had obtained from their settlers or others in

the open market. Another thing the trustees had to consider was that if the

present tenant did not continue in possession a sinking fund would have to be provided for buildings uulcss abnormally long leases were granted, and this was not thought desirable. To form such, a fund would necessitate deductions from tlio

rents received, and lessen the amount

available for the maintenance of the To

Aute (uni llukarere schools. To compare Die present valuations with those of 1901 , was absurd, as was shown by the fact in that year he personally got under id for his wool He was sure the estate was

leased to the best possible advantage. He was not aware of any popular movement to have the estate cut up, and no such

application had been made to the trustees. The estate might bo cut up into moderate si/.ed farms of about 500 acres,

A man might do fairly well. It was not unusual to renew leases without calling

for public tenders. The Government had done the same thing, and surely what tho Government did could not be wrong.;

Alfrod Dillon, said when the lease waa first executed the rent was a air and honest one. The estate was ono of the beat farmed properties in tlawtso s Bay, and was worked to the best aavaa " tags. He believed the estate waa suitable for cuttiog up into farms of 400 to 600 aoros. He considered tho leasing of trust lands should bo done by publio tender. If it had boon offered by tender and someone else bad got it, ho would have required a oapital of £IO,OOO to stook tho place. J. H. OolemaD, one of the presout trus toes, said he was Dot a trusteo whon tho Inst lease was oxrouted, and it was greatly on his advice that A'cbdjaoou Williams had aocepted a renownl of tho lease at the rental fired. W.teo-s was considered t* praotioal man. but ho would oertain'y not havotiken tho lerse at the same fig'i'e himsolf, nor would he have reoommendod any other person but the Arohdeaoon to take it at that rent.l, but with the latter the position was different, as ho had tuo buildings, plaDt, and everything else that was nooessary. The amount of oapital required to st ck tho pi >co would havo meant an addition of £720 a s far to tho rental of £3200. If wool had remained at the pnua it was at when the lease was renewed it would have moan! a direct loss of from £SOO to £LOOO a year. Ii was a fallacy ta say tho lease would have brought £IOOO a year more if off-rad by publio tiud -r o-auo ion. Ho did not know any property thai had been bo tor developed trorn its original slate of fern and rubbish. Ho thought the renewal of the lease was in tho best interest of the esti'o, and hal b. 1 b.'en t trustso a* tho t:m > h- w .ud have gladly o in < nted t.*t £io Oomojissio >or adjiumid u it 1 to morrow.