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Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1923, Page 4

filletiviLy. Witness had also a T.O.L. of GO acres. In correspondence with the Forestry Department had made an j offer, but would prefer the land to the j full amount of tln> oll'or. Know the j land is subject to mining. hut was prepared to take that risk. j To Mr McOavock—He could pmdure | the receipts for the amounts paid for j the area. .t’JOi) was ineludeil for good- | will He was aware they eoidil not j eiaim for improvements under the j lease, lie held altogether 1! 1*> acres of • land, including this area ot 73 acres. 1 The rest was river-hod and a timber felled area, which would he of no use with,out the main area.

To Mr Murdoch- The hand Board passed the transfer giving £'2(KJ for improvements to Mrs Henderson, 'witness considered he had the same right t.i improve a.- the previous occupier, lie sold out his store at Huatapu so as to dcvoti his attention to farming the area. The fairest compensation he coldd pet was not. the cost to them, but what t!n> value was to them under the special circumstances. His interest it; the Dippers’ Sawmill was £IOO. He was not fit to do sawmilkng work. Klisha John Wells .lunr. deposed he was a farmer at Woodstock, ali i part iiv tier of the resort e. Agreement lor -ale lIV Mrs Henderson wa- Cniai. Intended to milk JO cows during n.-xt years. Tim laud was equal To any at Kokatahi < ; r Kniterangi. Estimated the area would return !it least £t/u.' a year. Witness generally endorsed the evidence til nis hrother. Bather than take C'dOO eompensaLion. he would he willing; to pay £2o to ho allowed in possession. They offered to go out for £.|d(i, or in the alternative to take C-100 provided they could retain 10 to Id acres. (hd no definite ronly to the oiler for ft months. '1 hen wrote to the Conservator of Forests in .Nov. 10--w ithdrawing offer at end of mouth. The Department asked them to wait till the end of .January, hut not till March Kith, was an offer made for C3f)o. ’lids offer was refused. On '2-lth March the Department wrote again regretting local agitation against the resumption. Witness denied having been instrumental in stirring up the agitation. To Mr Mi Oavock - There were four employed during the milking season. They did not worry about there being no right to improve. They chanced that.

To Mr .Murdoch —rf the 73! acres were taken away the rest ol the holding would he valueless. During the time the negotiations were in progress

iheY were informed that so long as they kept in po.-sesdon 1 hey Would not I) ■ disturbed. Inn not it they ni tempi' d ip translcr.

Edward Thomas .Steep dcpoM'd he resided ill Woodstqck, and was interested in t !u* land. He took the \ lew that when lhe I.and Board allowed a Inmifd to go through with L"’tt t compete-;',-tiou for improvement that seeing tney were re til rued soldiers there was no

reason why they should not loi.oee eipial treatment. They were advised hv the Minister of-hands through Hon Michel that so long as they worked the land they would lad he disturbed. Where there was some talk of them I locking the founding of a forest nursery. they offered to sell their interests io! c 17)11. or ill the alternative to relaic. a portion of the area and receive £•!!>!. ft was not till March i hat £37,11 was oil'ered and that was tin ms! down l.ci'iuise eiremnstaiiii ■- had altered. To Mr Mcdavo.-k —1 le <1 !* 1 not kmc.' milch about the tarrviug i ana.cii v ot the land. Klisha Weils seiir, deposed he was the father of tlic two Wells brothers and was a storekeeper at Woods!ock. He knew the ai'mi. lie endorsed the previous evidence. There was room !< r two imni’ics each milking 30 ~w. s. The rest oi the land would he valueless if the 7,3 acres were taken away. If l.is son lost the area his home would be of no use and he would not get half of what the building cost him. lie had no interest in the laud in question. Herman A. 15,'incite deposed he vre President of the Ilium Miner:.' As.-.n-(iation. lie knew the land. It" agreed that fullv k'-")') improvements had hr- :i elfecied 'by Wells Hr,..-. 1; was g mil land, free of stole ami wcd • ituated. lie did not think Daymen; oi £c'i> won!: I le fair tie a tment. Tliis was the c. id-nee for i!ie holders Mr .Met.fat nek put in :■ lea-e of the I:m■ I. Mr Jeffries vahmtioii of stuck, i lie iipplifiilion to the l and Board, a.ml Mr Wells' oiler to the Department. I!is Worship intimated he would in due course forward his tleeisKin to the De|,ai'iment.