THE TRUST LANDS TRUST.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10144, 21 January 1911, Page 5

THE TRUST LANDS TRUST.

PUBLIC MEETING IN MASTERTON. ADDRESS BY MR ROBINSON. Mr H. C. L. Robinson, a member of tlie Masterton Trust Lands Trust, addressed a public meeting in the Town Hall last evening on the question of Trust administration. About fifty persons (including several ladies) were present. His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. M. tJbradine) presided, in the unavoidable absence of the Chairman of the . Trust, and briefly introduced the speaker. He asked that the subject to be discussed 'be treated sei-iously, and not with too much levity. ' Mr Robinson, who was received with applause, stated that he regarded the attendance as satisfactory and encouraging. He expressed regret at the apathy which had hitherto existed in Masterton in local government matters. It did not matter very much whether Massey or Ward was in.power, but it was of very great importance to Masterton that its local affairs--should be properly conducted. He attributed the absence of any public monument in the town to the apathy of the public. Mr Robinson, claimed that ihe, or any other person, was perfectly entitled to address the public Jon.Trust businessin- the; Town Hall I /free of :ehargei,-. ■: •;■"- ■'•';'■.-.•■'".V J"/";'' THE TRUST. Mr Robinson pointed out that the . unimproved value of Trust property in the town was £40,000, and the improved value between. £70,000 and £BO,OOO. -He drew attention to the fact that the Trust electors 7 roll closed months "before the annual election. He did not tnink this was right, and hoped it would be altered. The two things they had to discuss 'as Trustees was the method of raising money, .and the method, ..of expending it. The, primary object' of the Trust was to assist education! and the public library. An amend-! ment, which had proved a <mrse, ! , had been made, providing that . money might be -expended upon works of public utility. He maintained that if the primary object of 'the Trust had been adhered to,< they j ;would now have educational facili-• ties superior to anything outside the THE EXPENDITURE. Mr Robinson proceeded to discuss 1 the' expenditure of the Trust during ' recent years. The net income of. the Trust for expenditure should have been £IOOO per year. He quoted New Plymouth, Napier, Wanganui, ' Gisborne, Rangiora,. and other districts to show that the cost of-main-taining secondary schools was not considerable. He did not wish to discuss the past, but he thought they should have some regard for the future. [' :.'■' ..EDUCATION GRANTS.■;'.'{•• :pi ;making>small grants ;io pus schools in the district, and were " now spending about'£2oo per year in scholarships. He wished his hearers to consider, .whether this- was. the right form of education upon which to exepnd their, money. He asked was it right to expend money on boys ■«. and girls to fit them for occupations ■ for which they had no bent. His '" own opinion was that they should 1 give one or two scholarships to enable children to go to the. University, which was one of the most Democratic institutions in the Dominion. He did not think that they : should erect a separate residential High School in Masterton, because he considered that their existing . High j School was sufficient. j

SCHOOL OF ARMING. ; Mr Robinson, urged that some sort of a- school for: farming should be instituted in the town ■ and. subsidised by the Trust. This would solve the problem of what to do with our boys, as there was'plenty of work waiting for them on the farm.' All they required to, do was to-teach them the rudiments of farming. The Trust had a forty-acre farm, the "lease: ■ of which would soon fall in. If this was not suitable for an agricultural school for hoys, they could easily get another site. PATRONAGE. i.j.r Ro'binson objected to patronage. He regarded it as morally wrong that the making of grants for scholarships, etc., should be determined by the Trust. If a boy' won a scholarship, he, should obtain his grant by right, and'not at .the .will of the people. The Trustees should not speculate with their funds, but should have a steady fund to go on, with. He did not think they should go in for large schemes of borrowing: and expenditure, even though their investments proved profitable. They should remember that by such expenditure their funds would fluctuate. SINKING FUNDS AND BUILDINGS. Mr Robinson objected to the setting aside £250 a year to wipe off a debt of £IOOO. He considered that they should have consolidated their loans and retained the £250 for other purposes. The Trust was losing £6O a year on the "Star Block," and it would have been losing more had it not been for a bit of luck. The "Age" building was producing 8 per cent, on the money expended on its erection, but there was something behind this. The Trustees had not been offering the right form of lease to its tenants, and that was why the buildings hadJ not been taken: up. He (the speaker) had got a new iand improved/form of lease prepared. He thought the Trust should collect

, only ground rents, and expend the | money in the proper way. He cont sidered that the whole of the system under which the Trust.was working was wrong, and should bo altered. Tenants should find a portion of the money required for the erection of buildings. STANDING ALONE. He felt himself a round peg in & square hole. He was standing alone on the Trust. Unless he could get support from the public, he would quit his position. He had been three years on the Trust, and had done no good. It had been impossible to do so. He had asked for the Hall for popular concerts, but had not been supported.. He now came to the public, and asked for its support. If this was not forthcoming, he would quit. Mr Robinson resumed his seat amidst applause. Mr Robinson said he would be glad to answer questions, or to hear anybody else speak. OTHER SPEAKERS.

I Mr E. G. Eton ascended'the'plat-. I form, amidst applause, anu assured | those present that the Trustees were J not quite so bad as hey, had been . painted. The "Age" building was a very valuable asset, and was a. splendid investment. • So far as the "Star Block" was concerned, it was ■now.'-paying'its way. The cause•-.'•'«£:•': '. education received the -lion's share' I of the funds of the:Trust./.He;.lje T i',. |; liev*4 Jv. .greeting irigs in "the. towji, the proceeds : &6mrV which'would?swell, their revenue; He was of opinjon that the Trust was acting rightly in setting aside a sum of £250 a year to wipe off the debt' on the Hall. He was disappointed that Mr Robin son had not introduced some new matter. \ Mr Gillespie said Mr Robinson might have been quite honest in his opinions, but it du. not follow that he was quite right. (Laughter.) Mr C. E. Daniell expressed surprise that Mr Robinson had not shown a better grasp of Trust matters. He claimed that the Town wa3 an educationalinstitution; that cooking was educational; that' "tech-\. , riical; education had ■ been . subsidised .; -.< . and had proved of great value to the town; and that great practical work had been done on the agricultural plots at the school. I Mr W. H. Jackson acknowledged this; great services rendered the cause , of "education by the Trust. Ai the same time he thought: they should do ; still more for education. He thought ■• "['. it would be better to subsidise schol- • arships for Luicoln College instead of providing a new agricultural college here which would not pay in the , meantime. He hoped at some future date to see an' agricultural college . established at Lansdowne. , Mr H. M.. Boddington asked what ; ; Mr Robinson would do .with the Town Hall after' the existing loan was paiu"off? Mr Robinson replied that he thought the be j■" handed over to the Borough Council.' He objected to the .tone of, Mr Daniell's remarks. He. had challenged Mr Daniell to come on to the .. V platform to deny the authorship of :■??■ ceriain/Billi :: '.Mr; Daniell: had • iioi-■ .' C .acceptedf the r "','■ form was now open, to him. Mr /Daniell: A' matter fourteen, years old! The Mayor ; stated that. Mr Rob- ,'■ inson deserved thanks for placing f his views before the public. • On the motion of Mr Daniell, a vote,of thanks was passed to Mr Robinson, and the meeting termin- . ated'. . '