TRUST LANDS TRUST.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 23 November 1912, Page 5

TRUST LANDS TRUST.

MR itO BIN SON'S MEETING EXTRAOR H! .VARY RESOL U liuN,

About 270 people were present at t!he Masterton Town HaJl lust evening, at the mooting cuLed by Mi H. C. Robinson, member o.f tho Master■fcOJX Trust Lands .1 rust, fui tho puipose oi' inviting those iiuorei'ted in Trust atifaii-H Uj carry a resolution in favour of 'l'rust Reform, and. also to deal with matters relating to tho proposed Agricultural High School. His Worship tho Mayor (Mr J. M. Ooradine) presided. lie emphasised ttio importance of the meeting, as it

yv'aa calietl by Mr Ilobiuaou to explain matters relative to Trust administration. This, said Mr Co radii) o, was of tho greatest importance to the peoplo of Masterton, and ho wcmld ask them .when it camo to voting not to do so without lirtit giving tho quosftion at issue full consideration. Mr Robinson was very serious, and the matter ; vva.s a serious one to the people of Masterton. The effect of the motion, wihieh would be put later in the evening, must carry a certain weight, and ho .hoped that those present would

not treat tho motion lightly or make fun of it. Mr Robinson, ho continued, ~ had a difference of opinion 011 Trust matters with his co-Trustees, and they wore present, that- evening to hear Mr Robinson propound hiy policy of Trust Reform, and ho hoped that he would receive a good hearing. Mr Robinson, in opening his address, thanked tho Mayor for introducing the subject on which ho was to speak, in .so judicial <1 manner. He was pleased to have been able to obtain /tho services of the Mayor to preside at his mooting. Mr Robinson "then dealt with the real administration of Trust affairs. The first mistake, he said, wa« in connection with (y Trust- rolls, .which were closed in January, while the elections were held in June. The proper time to interest tho public in Trust matters should be before the closing of the rolls. This matter camo before tho Trustees, hut only to be thrown out. He did not want to havo the whole ■matter on his own shoulders, and ho thought that tho Trustees would join him in the reform. Suc.h, however, was not the case. Masterton was possessed of a great and valuable endowment, but it was effecting little good, owing to lack of public interest. If the public did not take .an active interest in an institution, it was not

managed to advantage, or if it was, V it was by accident more than anything else. Ho then set to work to put matters .straight, and must state that his first attempt wcia a ghastly failure. But he did not mean to give in. He always held the opinion that if any movement was to become a success it must have the support of a newspaper. He had that in the Wairarapa Daily Times, which lie had to thank for creating the interest which ' was now being evinced in Trust mat- ; tera, and this was done in the face ' of the ridicule of vested interests. ' Mr Robinson then dealt with the various uses of an educational institution, which, he said, if properly managed would be a source of strength to -a nation, but if not properly handled would be a source of weakness. Tlio deplorable thing about the Trust was that it was mishandled in the past, whatever way it was looked at. It was not with the past, however, that they had to deal, but with the future, and now that ho had succeeded in getting the

public to attend meetings on Trust matters, half the battle of reform should be over. The Trust was in the first place badly constructed, and was drawn up to suit the requirements of « small community, but as that community grew, Trust matters beoamo hopelessly muddled, and called for radical reform to suit altered conditions. There had been years of mismanagement, and that required reforming. "Tho Trust endowment was valued on unimproved value at £60,000, and from this education benefited to the extent- of, this year £454 12s, while •the average was £520, (during the past seven years. This way an inadequate return. Then again, tho

speaker continued, no child could win anything from tho Trust. The whole thing was purely a.matter of patronage on the part of the Trust. No such policy would ever benefit a com■reiunity. It might bo considered a policy of charity. When the State took over the control of primary education. the Trust did not pay any further attention to secondary education, ac it should lhavo done. Another matter requiring attention was tins question of leases. Many sections wevre idle, which, if proper leases were in existence, would bo revemie•paying. Tho Trust ihad in past years given away "chunks" of property for almost nothing, and transferred its own responsibilities to other bodies. Then there was a loan of £IO,OOO,

and a bank overdraft of £942. All this reflected upon the past administration of the Trust. Mr Robinyon then referred to the "Wairarnpa Age in tlio attitude it had taken up in reference to himself. He •vroukl ask those present not to be guided in .forming an opinion of his Trust policy by wliafc appeared in tho columns of tho Ago. Tn dealing with tho attitude of tho Masterton Labour Party in regard to Tnu'f. affairs, Mr Robinson eaid that the working classes had tho most to Rain from a policy of Trust Reform, as in labour matters tlio workers re-

qi.ired the best brains to lead them, and these brains could only bo developed by the aid of education. The Labour Party of all people should support reform. Tn regard to the'' proposed new lease of the Town Hali, Mr Robinson said that when completed it would be more profitable than it had been in the past. At this stage one of tho audience asked: "Where is your policy?" Mr Robinson, continuing, advised tho members of tho Labour Party not to vote for their own members, simply because they wore members of tho party, but to vote for tho man who would carry measures of reform through. A Voice: "Not good enough, you can't pull our legs."

The income from the Trust, said speaker, should amount to £2OOO per annum, and this would bo reached in a few years if .his reform si were carried out. The main object of the Trust should bo to assist in the establishment of a High School, anl with its income the Trust could greatly assust this object by providing scholarships to enable boys and girls to proceed to tho University. The ultimate object would bo to have separate schools for boys and girls. The Roman Catholics', ho said, believed strongly in this method, and had gained excellent results by having men to teach men, and women to teach women. (A Voice: "You'ro smoodging"—laughter.) It was their intention to ask tho county councils to assist in developing tho agricultural side of the High School, which would in the fir.«t place be established by tho Government. When ho was elected ho considered 1 tlrpt he was elected on account of his ideas' regarding the High School schemo and general reform. Rut immediatel yafterwarcls the electors returned Mr Hogg, whoso views were opposed to his on the "ii hi eat.. (A Voice: "Tho besi man.") He believed that Mr Hogg was rather -hurried into his views on the mutter. Ho hoped that Mr Hogg would yet change, and take up his (the speaker's) views on tho subject of reform. The only way to clear tho whole matter up would be by means of an election on clear, cut lines. Mr Robinson then proposed tho following resolution : "That this meeting is of opinion that all the Trustees ! should resign so soon as the rolls are closed so ay to have tho question of Trust Reform settled at the earliest : possible moment by a general election on clear, cut lines."

Mr A. G. Gardiner seconded tho motion pro forma. The chairman called for a of hands, but two-thirds of those present refrained from voting. Tho c-Jiair-amiounced this fact, but stated tha'; as far as the show of hands wen'-, tho resolution was carried. A vote of thanks to tho Mayor for presiding terminated tho meeting.