OSTRICH FARM ACCUSATIONS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 253, 4 December 1914, Page 4

OSTRICH FARM ACCUSATIONS.

Referring to the accusations m.de against the Prime Minister in j reg«nl to the Ostrich Farm and the route of the Waiuku railway, the "Wanganui Chronicle" says:— "The first attempt to make capital out of the Helvetia Ostrich Farm ; was that Mr Massey, as Prime Minister, had used his position to provide a property in which he was j interested with railway communication at the expense of the ta.\payer?. ! That scandal was effectively > 'scotched' by the facts. But the political scandalmongers, who squirm j and whine when a fi'-.ger is pointed at their own speculations, must needa endeavour to cjver the j expo.ure of their cwn ir.consist- I encies by attempting to attack Mr i Massey on another count. Thus, ; the railway bogey having been ignominiously bowled over, they formulate the further change that Mr Msssey, a a Prime Minister, used hi* position to enable the Helvetia Company to raise money on the property from the rublic Trust Office. Here, tco, the facta are up against the slanderer-, that is providing thev are intelligent enough to understand and accept the | facts as given by the Public Trustee. Here they ar?, in the language of tho Public Irustce:--"On the 29th July, 190?, Messrs Hc3keth and Richmond, of Auckland, solicitors, made application to the oflke fcr a loan of £IO,OOO at 5 per cent, for five years on account of the Helvetia Ostrich Company, Ltd,, the security being 3469 acres sitJate n;ar Pukekohe. Ihe at plication was referred tu the District Manager cf this office at Auckland for his report rnJ recommendation. On the 4th August he reported that the security was a desirable one, and that th? application might be entertain.cl. He was then instructed to have a valuation made, which was done, the valuation Leirg made by the well-known valuer, Mr Oarielt, cf Auckland, who valued t!;e property at £25,150. A second valuation was then ordered to Lc mad-J by ilia Government District Valuer, Mr Morgan, wi.o valued the property ut £21,730. The matter was then dealt jfith by tha Board of this cilice, and it was resolved io grant th-j amount up,lied tor, viz., £IO,OOO. On the 12th Di'cember, 1911, the company applied for a further advance of £SOOO, and, in clue course, and after a further valuation which assessed the value at £28,045, a fccond advance of £2500 was granted. Th; ti st advance wa? applied for and granted (in 1909 two \ears before Mr Massey became Prime Minister), and the second advance wa? applied for in 1911, while the Ward Government was in cilice, making the total advance LT5.500 leas th?.n the Government valuation of the estate. Mr Massey h.ldabout n tlintieth interest in the ostrich farm! Comment, surely, is unnecessary."