THE OTEKAIKE "PREFERERENCE."

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 22

THE OTEKAIKE "PREFERERENCE."

MR M'XAB EXPLAINS. CHRISTCHURCH, February 18. In the course of an interview this morn* ing the Minister of Lands said : — "In rega.d to the difficulty that has arisen in connection with the preference to 'residents' so Car as the disnosal of Otekaike sections is concerned," the speaker; continued. " the fact has been overlooked that it is the land board that grants the preference, the Minister merely granting or withholding his consent. In this parti* cular case the Otago Land Board applied to me to rf9er\e four sections for preference, and that was consented 10. Then Mr Macpberson. M.P.. reported that the board was going; to give preference to two men, one of whom had never worked on Otekaike. I think he alleged that the other one had leffc the ser\ico of tho company before the estate ron taken for settlement purposes. The matter was duly looked into, and it was refeued back to the board with the opinion of the Solicitor-General that the facts for^ warded would not permit it to grant pre* fcrence. The board held a special meeting and refused to depart from its original rosition. The papers have been returned! io me for consideration. Personally I! think preference should be purely Minisi tcriat, thus enabling a uniform system! to be adopted. Now the Minister can only! say ' Yes' or ' No' to what the landi boards choose to do. There seems to be a' popular impression that preference is given, by the Minister over certain sections, buti that is not so. The allotments thus treated!are fixed by tho kind board. There is nothing in the cry that sections were pre« paied for those entitled to prefc.ienco frora tho beginnings because the plan of subdivision was approved of on behalf of thet intending settlers by Mr Duncan, lat© Minister of Lands, and Mr Macphersony M.P.. who professed to know the condi-< tions prevailing. The large area of somej of the sections ia due to the large amount of pastorAl country included in the Otekaike purchase, and associated with it for< the purpose of settlement. Wo loaded up some of the good Sections with a _ large! amount of waste territory. In addition to> Oiekaiko proper, a very lar#e amount of pastoral Crown lands were thrown in _fo£ purposes of settlement. There is provision, under the act enabling this to be done."