NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS:

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 67, 1 December 1875, Page 2

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS:

[We are at all times ready to give expression to every shade of opinion, but in no ca-so do we hold ourselves responsible for the sentiments of our correspondents.) (To "I'IIIS EDITOR OX'’ THE CATE A M AH,.) Si b, —There is usually so little sweetness and light” in newspaper controversy that I am unwilling to enter into it, hut as the late decision of the Education Board to lease the reserves by tender instead of by auction lias been so much called in question, some comment from our side seems to be required. I may say at the outset that I never knew as much fuss about so little, as no principle is involved in the question at all. Both methods are approved ways of submitting property to public competition, and it is quite as easy to take precautions against favouritism one way as (he other. I am sure that not one of ns who voted to lease by tender ever' imagined for a moment that we worn doing anything unusual, or unjust ; indeed we very innocently thought that we were following the ordinary course of business. In England, Ireland, and Scotland, where tenant farming is practised more than anywhere else, leasing land by auction for a term of years is unknown ; if it is submitted to com ctition at all, it is always by public tender. Yet it would appear from your leading article of Saturday that some great wrong is about to be perpetrated, something nearly akin to wholesale robbery ! Now one of two things is certain, we are either very foolisii people, oryou wrote an extravagantlyfrothy article,The public may accept whichever conclusion they please. But let us examine the main question for a moment. I may safely take it for granod that no competent person will think that any of the broader principles of justice, or expediency, can possibly be infringed by a public body leasing public lands either by tender or by auction, and in determining which method to adopt questions of mere detail can alone have any weight ; that in fact the choice should be guided by the circumstances of the case. Now, in the present instance the most of the rural reserves are too small to make farms by themselves, but are very valuable to settlors who have land adjoining ; consequently, the competition, although keen, may probably lie limited to two or three persons ; conditions very favourable fora good price by tender but dangerous at an auction. Another powerful reason is, that many of the reserves are more or less improved by adjoining settlers,and their neighbours would hesitate to bid against them at public auction ; wheieas by tender intending lessees are in the dark, and are afraid of a possible third person. The above is no imaginary case, but a simple fact, as all intending lessees are anxious for auction. Their wits are sharpened by self interest, and they see that they mus tgive a sufficient price or miss their chance. Mr Huston’s case is exactly in point ; he is at present running about with a paper asking the Board to reconsider their., decision and boring people to sign it. lam informed he never was known before to take any special interest in public matters; it is of course a sudden outburst of public spirit. Unfortunately many people sign papers of that sort without due consideration and without any feeling of responsibility. In your article you say, li A large number, a majority, of ratepayers indeed, wished it, and had Mr Middleman understdod tho first principles that should guide him in his present position he would have called t hameeting without considering thereat.” I am sorry to have to quarrel with .yon about first principles, but really I again differ with you. I. understood that all well-informed'pfeople had long ago agreed that it is the pi afar doty of all representative. bodies, while in authority, to do the best they can according to their own judgment. At any rate such men as Burke, .Mill, and Macaulay teach this very simple loctrine, which is so fundamental a truth, 1 thought it was a '‘first principle.” How;ver such writers may not have much weight with youj- they mhy he only good ! or weak-minded” people.

T.- MIDDLEMAS.