MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9608, 30 September 1909, Page 6

MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS.

DEPUTATIONISED IN MASTERTON.

The Hon. R. McKenzie. Minister of Public Work?, accompanied by his private secretary, spent a portion of yesterday mornnig in Masterton, prior to leaving i:>r South Wairarpa by the 10 o'clock train. A NEW COURTHOUSE. A deputation, consisting of the Mayor (Mr P. L. Hollings). and Cr Jas. H. Pauling were introduced to the Minister by Mr A. W. Hogg, member for Masterton. The deputation urged upon the Minister the necessity ot erecting a new Courthouse in Masterton, and an inspection of the present building was made. Mr Hollings pointed out that court work, both in relation to the duties of the Magistrate and the Court officials, werp carried out under very restricted conditions. An up-to-date building would provide accommodation for Government officials such as those engaged in the Stock. Department, Land and Survey Department, and Labour Department, and centralisation of those officials would certainly be in the interests of; the public generally. The rents now paid for offices for these officers •would more than recoup the interest on a modern building. The Minister assured the deputation that the matters brought under his notice would receive careful consideration. CLOSER SETTLEMENT. A deputation from the Masterton 1 Closer Settlement League, introdcued by the Mayor, subsequently met the Minister in the Borough Council Chambers, and brought under his notice the claims of this district for the subdivision of some of the large estates

j The Mayor pointed out that Master ton and the district generally had suffered materially from the lack o± acquisition of estates by the (iovernment, which were eminently suitable for subdivision. He instanced estates such as Brancepeth, lea and Mac ahiwi, which were particularly suited to closer settlement, [and which, if subdivided, would maintain a large number of families. The Carterton district, lor instance, whicn was practically surrounded by small dairy farmer?, had made gub&tantial progress as a result of this closer settlement. , Mr W. P. Simpson, who was 'responsible for the deputation, stated that Masterton had been greatly neglected in regard to the acquisition of estates, whilst large sums of money had been devoted to that purpose in South Wairarapa. Not one single estate had been purchased in Masterton, and the town wad left with all its eggs in one basket, and was dependent on the large "station holders. As a result Masterton had suffered unduly as a result of the clrop in the price of wool and mutton, whilst if the land had been

occupied by a community of dairy farmers the situation would have been greatly relieved. A number of estates had been offered to the Government in times gone by at prices which would have enabled the Government to place people upon them with success assured. The Tiramea Estate, in the Alfredton district, had been offered to the Crown at £3 15s per acre, whilst other properties adjoining were on the market at the same price. The land was situated in a locality which had splendid roads and railway facilities within a reasonable distance, and the climate was all that could be desired. Between forty and fifty families should now be settled on land which at present supported less than half a dozen. Mr Hogg stated that for the past twenty years he had agitated for closer settlement of large estates in the Masterton and quite a number had been inspected by the Land Purchase Board. He could produce a Huge volume of letters and replies upon the subject. In some instances the aims of the Land for Settlement Act had been defeated, ! through the estates being subdivideth and settled upon by individual members of families. There were no large estates in the vicinity of Masterton suitable for resumption. Most 01 the holdings were in the hands of hard working and practical farmers, with which it would be unjust to seriously interfere. Messrs J. C. Ewington, A. Chap' man and R. Brown also spoke upou the subject. The Minister, in replying, stated that he thought 3it was a mistake to deputationise a Minister in regard to the purchase by the Government of estates. It usually meant that tl:e price went up a pound or two as a result. It was useless to urge the acquisition of estates in the vicinity of towns such as Masterton, as the price now asked was prohibitive. The Government was prepared to acquire land only at a prics which would give those who took it up a chance of succeeding. If lard of that character were available in this district, as he had been assured by the deputation, the Government would doubtless be prepared to treat for it. He would, however, lay the tepresentations made by the deputation before the Minister in charge of the Land Purchase Board.