LIVELY BREEZE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2270, 15 August 1908, Page 2

LIVELY BREEZE.

A SCENE IN THE LAND BOARD, A MEMBER EJECTED. [Press Association.] .

NAPIER, August 14. There was some warm passages at the meeting of tlie Hawke’s Bay Land Board to-day, in consequence of remarks made by one of tlie members, Eustace Lane, who was some months ago elected to the Board as. the representative of the Crown feiiants. Mr O. Bartram (Gisborne) moved and Mr. Hyde seconded “mat in consequence of the many private interests involved in the renewal, or otherwise, of small grazing ran leases, and the publication of the details being in some instances detrimental to, and affecting, the financial position of the lessees, in future all questions' deal--ing with small grazing runs. leased under file Land Act, 1885, be considered in committee.” Mr. Lane objected strongly to the motion, and made a remark which Mr. Bartram resented as being strongly personal. ' The motion was carried. Later on the Board had under consideration. an application for the transfer of the lease of a section. The majority of the members were opposed ■ to the granting of the application, which Mr. Lane supported. •’< The Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr. Trent), in the course of the die- • cussion, said that Mr. Lane would admit- that some of the members of tlie Board might, has as much knowledge of what was the proper action to pursue as Mr. Lane had Mr. Lane replied, “Some of them - are not competent to decide.” Exception was taken to this re; mark, which Mr. Lane declined to withdraw. The Commissioner adjourned the meeting in order to allow Mr. Lane to get cool and collect himself,, whereupon Mr. Lane said he had a duty to perform. When the Board resumed in the afternoon, Mr. Lane again refused, to withdraw what he had said, and eventually the Commissioner asked the Board's secretary (Mr. Taylor) to remove Mr. Lane. Mr. Taylor left the room and returned with Mr. Thomson, the chief clerk. They each took Mr. Lane by an arm, and that gentleman rose without resistance and was escorted out of the room. The door having closed upon the ejected member, the Commissioner said, “I suppose we may now go on with business.”