COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 32, 31 May 1907, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING.

TO THE EDITOR. SIR,—In the report of the Council Meeting, in your las.t issue, I notice that the Council obtained the opinion of itb who advised that this township WdS formed under "The Native Townships Act, 1895," and inlconsequence, certain restrictions were imposed. Ido not know who gave the Count}* Solicitor this information, but I am, and always have been, under the impression that this township was formed under the provisions of "The Maori Lands Administration Act, 1900," which gives Maori Land Board jurisdiction, whereas, if under the Act stated, the Crown Lands Commis- " sioner would l , rule proceedings. So that, if I am correct, the high faluting talked by the two Councillors about preserving their Solicitor's letter seems out of place. —I am, etc., RESIDENT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, Your correspondent " Beware," in the space of a fortnight, has again rallied from his " hors de combat" state, brought about by the complete refutation of his statements in his first letter, but he fails to admit that he was misinformed. He continues to insinuate a sordid motives. He is careful not to allude to Mr Flanaghan, whom he knows to be a small freehold farmer, and therefore his occupation does not lend itself to

misrepresentation, ldo not understand " Beware" when he refers to Mr Bell and myself as being tender on the matter of expenses. Nothing has transpired that should lead an impartial mind to suggest an lirregularity. The Farmers' Union is organised to protect the common interests of the farmers. It holds that the Land Bill is inimical to farmers' interests. Gentlemen iare selected to speak against it. Naturally, the Executive does not wish those gentlemen to bear their own expenses, and a fund is organised. Surely those facts show that the actions of Mr Bell are " pro bono publico." " Beware " must be very dense if he cannot see that the endowment proposal is a " coup de main "to abolish freehold tenure. It means that all Crown lands not already disposed of will, when settled, be leasehold. For endowment one must needs read nationalisation. " Beware " and his ilk talk glibly of setting aside lands for endowment, as though a nucleus of untold wealth would result. By what process will these lands produce revenue ? State farms, according to Mr McNab's latest utterances, are extravagant institutions, and private individuals are more successful farmers. iWhat is our experience of endowments —seed beds for noxious weeds. Mr McNab draws the proverbial red herring over the freeholders' scent by saying that the surplus Native lands will be settled under the optional tenure. But these, so far, are not under his control, and is it likely that having succeeded in driving in the land nationalisation wedge so far, he would hesitate to send it further, as as opportunity presented itself. " Beware " does not show how, by setting aside the Crown lands for endowments there should be more activity in the settlement of the surplus Native lands, unless he means that the former will be given over, like most of their predecessors, to blackberries and gorse, and therefore require neither settlers nor capital 'to develop them. The l.i.p. tenants should note the consideration they may expect from " Beware " and his party, viz., that they must either stick to that tenure into which they entered (in many cases without option) or compete for it in the open market. These are the struggling settlers' friends! I do not understand " Beware's" hypothetical statement re mortgages. Only the freehold land of this colony enjoys immunity from them for, after all, what we are pleased to call Crown lands are mortgaged to absentee mone3 r -lenders, and the State is simply collecting their interest, and acting as agents for a trifle. For every acre of Crown land sold for cash, the State gets what it at present is much in need of for the development of public works. That is one of the chief reasons why the Land Bill is so harmful It will keep immigrants .with capital away. The Government not only gets the use of such money, but all that accrues in the way of interest is kept in the colony. " Beware" refers tothe landless in contradiction to the freeholder, and holds that the former has as much right to speak on the Land Bill as the latter. That may be so, but certainly not with the same authority, except he is prepared to agree that the uninitiated of any guild should have the same deference paid to their opinions as the initiated. Your correspondent queries: Who fills the rsnks of the army? The numerous military grants in this colony answer " Freeh riders." Who were the contingcnters ? Mostly sons of freeholders. I wish " Beware" to answer me these question : Does he candidly think that the leasehold is the best tenure ? If optional, would he prefer it for himself ? The electors of Egmont evidently prefer the freehold. —I am, etc., R. D. DUXFIELD.