SOUTH CANTERBURY M.H.R.’s ON THE OTAGO RUNS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2747, 12 January 1882, Page 2

SOUTH CANTERBURY M.H.R.’s ON THE OTAGO RUNS.

The following is the text of a communication sent to the Otago Land Board by Messrs Turnbnll, Steward, and Sutter, wtth reference to the disposal of the runs “To the Chairman and members of the Otago Waste Lands Board, “Gentlemen, —We, the undersigned members of 'the House of Representstves for electorates in South ’ Canterbury, venture respectfully to suggest to your Board the expediency .of limiting the currency of the leases to be sold daring next month to one year only (in accordance with the discretionary power in that behalf conferred on yonr Board by section 121 of the ‘ Land.. Act, 1879’) so as to permit of the revision by the new Parliament of the conditions affecting Crown leases, with a view to better securing the interests of settlement. We make this suggestion because (1) it appears to ns that under the existing conditions there is a heavy handicap m favor of present leaseholders 5 and because (2) we are of opinion that the intended sale has received insufficient publicity, and that if 12 months’ delay were secured (during which full particulars as to the lands to be dealt with, and the conditions of tenure could be advertised and otherwise J publicly made known in the United Kingdom and elsewhere,) a much wider competition wonld result, and the introduction of a most desirable class of small capitalists would be secured. We fear that if leases for long periods are sold in February, as at present proposed, the Colony will suffer a very serious loss, through the obtaining of much smaller rentals than might be secured were the coarse suggested adopted; and we therefore respectfully invite your Board to consider the expediency of limiting the . period of license to. one . year only, pending any further'legislative provision which Parliament may see fit to make. We further respectfully request that your Board will bo good enough to notify to us as early as possible any determination arrived at, so as to allow the opportunity of taking any farther action which we may deem advisable.—We have the honor to be yonr obedient servants, Richard Turnbull, M.H.R., Timaru; William J. Steward, M.H.R., Waimate; J. H. Sutter, M.H.R., Gladstone.”