MR SYKES' DEFENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 10 July 1913, Page 4

MR SYKES' DEFENCE.

The speech delivered by Mr G. R. Sykeg in the House of Representatives on Tuesday' afternoon was, in many respects admirable. His attempt 'to defend the purchase of a portion of the Brancepefch estate for closer settlement was, however, exceedingy weak.. . He sought to showthat the -Government had secured :> bargain, so.far as value is concerned. But that is-not the point. Is the Government justified in acquiring lirird-olass land for closer /hen there is an abundance of firstclass land available? iMy Sykes de- { lared with emphasis that loan j oneys should be expended to the 3st advantage. Very well. Does iie consider that the purchase of 5000 acreg of land at £1 per acre, on j which to starve settlers, is spending money to Advantage? 1 We have : n«+ heard oF\S single 'sotHler a f ■ «■' 17 I not a valuei-,' a We.- T ? f6put ?< e *V or ,041 .0~ -"" •'• meait ' support- | purch»*" defend the ,»e of this wretched piere of country. We do not blame the owners of Brancepeth. We do not even blame Mr Sykes or the Government. But Ave do blame the Land 'Purchase i !-Board for having recommended the j acquisition of a property'that is pAt.-<B-JI ' tically worthless, and that will the expenditure of enormous W .e money to tnaktrit prod|%<&d-•' ~is of at alii anything