PURCHASE OF LAND AT TAPANUI BY THE GOVERNMENT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 356, 16 May 1874, Page 3

PURCHASE OF LAND AT TAPANUI BY THE GOVERNMENT.

Mr Fish on Tuesday last asked the Government — " Whether the statement made in a sub-leader- in the " Otago Guardian " of Friday last, to the eff ct that the late Gov- , eminent purchased, at the request of certain residents in the Tapanui district, three sections of land, and that through the member for the Oamafu Country (Dr. Webster,) then Secretary for Lands, the necessary deposit was not paid ; and that, as a result, the land in question was subsequently purchased at about a third of its value, as ascertained by the price said land realised at auction ?" Dr. Webster ' replied, with reference] to the first part of the question, that the Government had not purchased the land Referred to. At the instance of a Progress Committee which waited on the Superintendent, the Executivetfesolve'l to reserve this land from sale ; but when they came to consider* the question, they found that after an application had been made they could not reserve the land. It was therefore resolved by the Executive, in his (Dr. Webster's) presence, that the land should be bought through the Warden. The carrying out of the purchase was referred to the late Secretary for Goldfields, who telegraphed to the Warden. The latter replied that he had bought the land. As to the after circumstanced which prevented the deposit being duly made, it seemed to be an omission on the part of the Undersecretary or some of the clerks that anapplication for a voucher of payment of this deposit was not made in time* He (Dr. Webster..) in conjunction with the other members of the Executive, deserved a fifth share of the blame, but he was not personally responsible. At the same time, he did not say that the late Secretary f6r Goldfie'ds was more to blame in the matter than he (Dr. Webster) was. 1 Mr. Bastings obtained leave of the House to make an explanation^ He corroborated what had been said by Dr. Webster as to the action taken by the Government. But prior to the settlement of this matter by the Government; he (M"r. Bastings) received definite instructions from his c^Jeagues not to interfere with anything outside his own department. Up to that time he had interfered with matters outside his own department when he thought such action was necessary for the proper carrying out of the business of the country. After getting those instructions, he merely earned^ out the directions of the Executive so far as to telegraph to the Warden. He then left it to the head of that department to complete the business. j