WEST COAST SETTLEMENT RESERVES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 177, 5 January 1915, Page 4

WEST COAST SETTLEMENT RESERVES.

To tlic Editor, I Sir, —I don't want In be like Uic ' Schoolboy that must have the last word. Hut I do want to state in connection with the appointment of valuer that I knew nothing of the matter being '"cut and dried," as stated by you, nor do I believe that such was the case, and an already stated by me in my former letter we took special precau' tion to prevent such by disallowing proxies. The only one I know in our district who may have exercised some influence in connection with the appointment "was -Nlt Maxwell, who, when asked to act as valuer in several 189:2 leases, when refusing, for Teasons already stated, lie recommended Mr Quinn as the most capable man for the purpose. Nevertheless, I and several others did not take his advice, but appointed another. A request at the meeting that each candidate be heard, was granted, and the chief influence as far as I could gather was that the chosen valuer was a farmer, and also that he had proved himself a competent valuer in connection with former valuations. Now with regard to Mr Willcox's grievance that the 180-2 lessees were not invited to the meeting called by the members of Parliament for Taranaki and Egmont, surely my explanation that the remit only concerned 1881 lessees is sufficient reply to that. If 1892 lessees had been called to attend a meeting necessitating the travel in some instances of 50 or CO miles, and then found out that- the matter under consideration was no concern of their other than their receiving the benefit of the compromise, I believe there would have been a greater outcry than that raised by our friend Willcox, through not having received an invitation to attend. I am satisfied that 5t is ignorance of the facts that cause the erroneous ideas to get a"bout, and I hope the explanations given will suffice, but to anyone woh desires further information on the points raised I shall be pleased to give a personal interview at any time they may call on me, as I have no intention of inflicting further on your generosity of space in this-mat-ter.—l am, etc.,

T. P. HUGHSON, Rahotu, Dec. 31, 1914 [We accept Mr. Hugh son's assurance that he was unaware of the appointment being "cut and dried" before the meeting, Tnlt this doesn't alter our opinion, t based as it is on first-hand knowledge, | that the lessees were canvassed before; the meeting, and the appointment assured for the successful applicant, and that a great injustice was thereby done "to the man but for whose work the t lessees would never have had the opportunity of extending their leases. Howsensible these lessees were of the invaluable services of Mr. Maxwell and Mr. Wilkinson, M.P., may be gauged from the fact that up to now they have not accorded them even a vote of thanks! I Ed.]