OFFERS OF LAND

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1928, Page 4

OFFERS OF LAND

A CONTROVERSY. .> 1 'WELLINGTON. Feb. 28. The Minister of Lands (the Hon A. It. M’Leod) in his public address at ' Te Awarnutu invited Mr E. A. Run--1 sum, MR., for Pahiatua. to permit - him to disclose the price at which Mr Ransom offered his property at Ran-' nevirke for soldier settlement. together with the Government valuation a the time of the offer. "T have no intention "of using departmental files against any man without his consent.” said Mr M’Leod. “hut if Mr Ransom 1 asks me to do so I shall publish the: > price he asked the Government for a property of his own for soldier settle-, , ment purposes, and also the Govern-. ■ ment valuation of the property at the time the offer was made.” , 1 Mr Ransom has given that permission . uul Mr M’Leod to-day made a. statement in reply. First he character-, isoil a statement made by Mr Ransom at Whaiigarei on February 10 to the effect that he (the Minister 1 ) had renlied to a proposal submitted hv Mr | Ransom by which loans could be made i to settlers which would enable themto duir their farms of send: etc., and at the same time provide relief fthe unemployed, by saying it would b - come too popular, as being false and, used only for the purpose of discrediting him (the Minister) in the. eyes of countrv settlers. The Minister added that if Mr Ransom could show tluit he (tl»e Minister 1 ) had made even a colourable approach to such a reply it would be the Minister's duty to apologise. The Minister then deals with Mr Ransom’s property. In March. 1020. he says. Mr Ransom offered his (TTaka’■vni) area of 655 acres at £45 per acre. The Government roll value of the area at the time of the offer was CIS 15s . per acre. It was only fair to Mr Ransom to say that in July. 1021. he reoffered the same land to the Crown ax C 35 per acre, hut as soldier purchases had practically ceased, no further negotiations were made. Mr Ransom asked for particulars of the Glengarry property purchased by the Government in October. 1010, the area being a little under 2000 acres, i Air M’Leod replies that the price paid 1 was £3O per acre, and th£ Government roll valuation then was £2O 12s per acre.