HAUTOTARA ESTATE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9629, 22 October 1909, Page 6

HAUTOTARA ESTATE

EXPLANATION BY MR W. C. BUCHANAN.. REPLY BY PRIME MINISTER. The subject of the suggested purchase of the Hautotara Estate, near Martinborough, led to an interesting discussion in the House of tatives, on Wednesday last, says the "Dominion!" Mr W.C.Buchanan, member for Wairarapa, said ihat the frime Minister had had a great deal to say about misrepresentation, and he regretted that he should have to accuse him in that direction. The Prime Minister had said that the member for Wairarapa had been beseeching the Government to acquire the Hautotara Escate, and had stated that the purchase of that estate would be tor the benefit of one man, that it was grazing land, and could not be divided into six homesteads, and that he would refuse to purchase froas large landed proprietors land which had to be rented afterwards at from 40s to 58s by the unfortunate occupiers who took up the land. The fact was that there was no pressure put upon the Government to purchase. There was a petition from people of all sortsfarmers, townsmen and others—in Martinborough, asking the Government to send one of their best valuers to value the property, and if the owners wished to sell, and the price was satisfactory, to purchase the estate under the Lands for Settlement Act. He had never asked the Government to buy the laud, because he did not know if the price demanded was excessive or otherwise. It was part oi a block of country, a considerable area of which

had been already purchased by the Government, and put under settle ment, with that the settlers were doing very well on it. The block was among*the]very best the Government had put through their hands, and though he did not know what the actual value of the land would be, some of it compared very well with the bestjland of four other estates that had been taken by the Government. The Prime Minister had very seriously misrepresented the position; he did not say intentionally. The owner of the land had, commenced without a shilling to his credit. He knew of no more hard-working man or better settler, and all honour to him if to-day he was in a position to offer to the Government at a fair price a large block of useful country like this, that would carry a large number of families. He hoped that the Prime Minister would look into the mat ter. deal with it on its merits, and purchase this land if he could get it at. a fair price, because he could not enter into a better transaction in the interests of the country.

The Prime Minister, later, stated that the estate contained 9,774 acres of freehold and 6,458 acres of leasehold. A deputation asked the Government to acquire the freehold portion of the property. It was not likely that the Government would purchase the property, as it would be in the interest of one person, and it would only accommodate half a dozen settiers. Three months before the deputation interviewed the Minister, the freehold was valued at £31,28 L', but the owner gave notice to have the value raised to £70,205. Upon the basis of one settler to every 540 acres, it would have cost £4,000 to place each one on the property. Why the Government was not anxious to do anything hurriedly was the fact that the value of 'ihe leasehold portion.of the estate had not|been in-

creased at the same time as the freehold portion. $ Mr Buchanan said that the deputation did not urge the GDvernment to purchase the property, but requested it to consider the desirableness of acquiring it and to send its best valuer to look over the property. Sir Joseph had also made a mistake in stating that only the freehold was in the market. Why, some of the leasehold land was equal to the best in the island. It was under lease from the Native owners under long lease. Sir Joseph had made a big mistake in estimating the cost of placing settlers on the land. Sir Joseph: The leasehold land was under negotiation for sale from the Natives to the owner of the estate at the time. Mr Buchanan: That would not affect the position.