MR LINKLATER AT KOPUTAROA.

Shannon News, 5 December 1922, Page 3

MR LINKLATER AT KOPUTAROA.

Mr Linklater, the Reform candidate for this electorate, speaking at Koputaroa last evening, took the opportunity of referring to one of the many charges against the Reform Government by some of its opponents, namely that of the purchase of the Tatua West Park block of 1000 acres, near Rotorua. It had been stated that the owner of this block, a lady, had purchased it for the sum of £4375, and

fourteen months later had sold it the Government for £27,500 for a soldier’s settlement. Mr Linklater informed the meeting that when the matter was brought before Mr Massey lie immediately inquired' into it, and at. his recent meeting at Parnell he said that the statement was quite untrue. The facts were that the Railway Department has a very big sawmill at Frankfon, where good work is done in connection with the building of homes for railway workers at Frank-

ton. The Department required a big supply of timber and negotiations for the purchase of 55,000,000 feet of timber were made on the block. It was never intended-for soldier settlement. The Government purchased the freehold of the block of 1000 acres at £SOOO. The land, he said, was rather poor, but it was worth £SOOO. He said there had been trouble over the title as the Government insisted on it being .clear. He now understood from inquiries that the Crown Law Office had' satisfied itself that the title was in order, and the money had. been paid over. )