MINISTER OF LANDS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2180, 2 May 1908, Page 2

MINISTER OF LANDS.

VISIT TO AKAROA. DAIRY REGULATIONS. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, May 1. Tho Hon. Air. McNab, Minister of Lands, is paying a promised visit to Banks Peninsula to-day. Air. Rhodes, ALP., asked him to visit the district some months ago, and he promised that he would do so when the first opportunity occurred. He left AVellington last evening, and lie will arrive dn Christchurch early this morning, .and will set out in a motor car with Mr.. Rhodes for Little River. Two deputations .will wait upon him. There will be one from the Kinlocli settlers who desire to have their rents reduced, and tlio other from residents of the district, who will ask that arrangements should be made to .allow a recreation reserve on a hillside to be exchanged for a piece of Alaori land on tbe flat. The Maoris are willing to make the exchange, but they cannot deal with their land unless a special stipulation is passed. On the road to Akaroa, the Minister will be shown the historical Onawe Peninsula, which' was the scene of some of the exploits of Rua.paraba, the famous Northern warrior mlio raided Kaiapoi and other places in the past of the Dominion. It has been suggested that the peninsula should be, purchased by the Government, but the owner, Air. Shadbolt, places upon it a value considered too high, and up to the present time hardly any negotiations have been carried on.. It is probable that Air. AlcNab will also be shown .Nikau Gully .and other boautiful sconic spots near Akaroa. In the town the will be shown the post office, which is very old, and which the citizens wish to have replaced by a better building. 'Mr. McNab will stay at- Akaroa this evening. He will return to Christchurch in Mr. Rhodes’ motor car to-morrow, and will loave for AA T ellington in tho evening. Speaking, to a reporter to-day, the Hon. It. AlcNab said that it mas impossible to state when the ballot for the Culverdeu Estate would take place. Tho Government Printer had the plans and other matter in hand, and they would probably be ready soon. In regard to complaints that sheep were eating the fodder on the estate and depreciating its real value to the settlers, 'Air. AlcNab said that it was usual, between .the time of taking possession of an estate .and disposing of the sections, to make them revenue-producing. The sheep placed on Culverdeu would not do moro than normal feeding. AV.hen possession was acquired, there were about 9000 sheen on the whole estate. It had arranged that 4000 should be taken off at the end of April, leaving (5000 on the ostata, and ho had given instructions that these"should be removed as soon as possible. The new regulations dealing with dairies, which are now in, force, are only tentative, and it is possible that the system which they represent may not’be considered tho best to meet tile requirements. The Hon. Mr. AlcNab told a reporter to-day ‘that the regulations would be given a year’s trial, and he gave an impression that if they do not .prove to be satisfactory they may be done away .with; He recently had a long conversation-with the officer in charge of the Victorian Department. There are no regulations in that State, and tho matter is left .to .the inspectors, different stipulations being made to meet the conditions in different districts. “My own personal leanings,” Air. McNab said, “are .towards having intelligent and sensible inspectors, with power .to appeal against their decisions, to headquarters. In Victoria dairies are licensed, not registered, and instead of bringing charges against them, the authorities, in cases where it is impossible to induce dairy men to take proper steps, refuse to grant licenses.”