WAIRARAPA HOSPITAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 237, 13 August 1879, Page 2

WAIRARAPA HOSPITAL.

A meeting of the House Committee of the Wairarapa Hospital was held on Tuesday afternoon at the office of Mr F, H, Wood, when there were present the Rev Mr Thomas (in the chair) and Messrs Barnard, Cuff, Maxton, and Wood. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

The Treasurer reported a credit balance at the bank of £94 17s lid, and that the proceeds of the concert—£43—and the Borough Subsidy £5 3s 8d is to be placed to credit as soon as the accounts for the concert can be settled,

'lhe following accounts were passed for payment:—Fabian, Bros., £lßs 9d; J. Macara,£Gsssd;W, Moffatt, £2 13s 7d; Hastwell, Macara & Co,, 14s 6d. A letter was read from the Secretary of the Masterton Hospital re Mrs Robinson's case, and offering to give as a subscription £5 5s to the Wairarapa Hospital provided the same be accepted at a settlement in full of all claims,—lt was resolved that the offer be accepted,

It was resolved on the motion of Mr Cuff that Mr Barnard consult with Dr Smith as to which of the cottages in connection with the hospital would be most suitable for the purposes required, and to report to next meeting. It was resolved that the hearty thanks of the Committee be given to those ladies and gentlemen who assisted at the late concert.

' Mr Cuff was asked to act as hospital lisitor for the month, and the meeting ,hen adjourned, J

SIR GEORGE GREY AND THE LARGE LAND-HOLDERS,

To the Editor of (he Waikabapa Daily.

Sir,—lt appears that out of 87.85>0 property holders in the colony 67,008 have come out free from the land tax. Whether the number of large proprietors can be considered out of proportion to the smaller ones is a point for future discussion, and if the question should be decided in the affirmative, it can be shown that the present Premier, Sir George Grey is to a great extent responsible for it. The land regulations of March 1853 subject to certain reservations fixed the price of agricultural land at 10/ per acre, and of pastoral land at the auction upset price of 5/ an acre. Those regulations have always been known as " Sir George Grey's land regulations," because they were framed wholly by him, when Governor of this colony, previous to the introduction of representative institutions.

Immediately after Sir George Grey proclaimed these regulations, he left Wellington on a trip to Auckland, overland, passed through this district of Wairarapaand up the Coast to Hawke's Bay, the whole of which country then belonged to the Maoris. I was one of the party which accompanied him, and during the journey he asked my opinion of the above regulations. _ My reply was to the effect that in the wild, rough, and inaccessible condition of the country it was hard to say what the land was worth. Sir George Grey then asked me this question. "Do you not think it will be a good thing by these regulations to enable gentlemen with capital to acquire extensive blocks of country, and so take up a position in New Zealand similar to that of landed gentry in England."

The question struck me at the time as aremarkable one, and I remembered it as distinctly as if I had heard it only to-day. I have since found that the same question was put by him to others. There seems no doubt therefore that in making the above land regulations, Sir G. Grey had two leading objects in view, one was to enable persons of limited means to acquire freehold cf any size, not less than 40 acres, and another urns, avowedly, to establish a distinct class of large landowners in this colony. It can also be shown that one effect of these regulations was to force many persons to become large land-holders, even contrary to their wishes. Concurrently with the above regulations for the sale of land, pastoral regulations were issued, under which blocks of land, varying in extent, were let as sheep and cattle runs. But as any one could at any time buy land in these runs, it became evident to the holders of them, some of whom would have preferred to hold them on proper leases instead of having to buy the land, that to carry on the business they must acquire the freehold. Those who could not do this had to give way to others who could. Some persons traded on this state of things, and bought patches of land in the runs for the express purpose of selling them to the holders of the runs at a profit. A surveyor, not now living, used to operate, it was said, upon some of these runholdera, as so many milch-cows. When he jjbecame hard up, which was pretty often, he would trouble them for a cheque, and tlins received continuous bribes not to give information of their vulnerable condition to speculation. Some think it would havo been better both for the state and the sheep-farmers in this part of the country, to have given the latter, regular leases for a term, and then cut up the runs for sale; but whether tho system pursued was a right or a wrong one, is not now the question. The present condition of things is the natural result of the land regulations, and it seems to accord with Sir G. Prey's notions of justice now to lose no opportunity of abusing a class of settlers who have been brought into existence by the operation of his own laws; many of whom, as the pioneers of the colony, settled in the midst of a native population, not always too friendly, for many years without any protection whatever from the Government; who have undergone privations and hardships of which new comers have no conception: and who, for several years past, owing to the low. price of wool and other produce, have had quite as hard times to contend against, as any other members oi the community. There is little likelihood, however, of New Zealand politics ever being unduly influenced by a class of large landed proprietors, is soon'as a demand for it arises, many large properties, suitable for the purpose, will be cut up for sale, but no' such demand exists at the present

lam &c, J. Valentine Smith.