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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2077, 25 August 1885, Page 2

It is a pity, for his own sake, that our local contemporary should be troubled with shortness of memory, for to that, Rml to that only, can we ascribe the following statement made by him with reference to tho proposed MastertonMangatainoke Special Settlement Asso ciation " Whatever has yet been done by - the promotere of this alleged Association, has been performed secretly, stealthily,and,under the circumstances, suspiciously, it lias been hole and corner work, just like the attempted letting of-the Mangahao survey contract. Tho land speculating incut ators who are trying to hatch this desirable land of Canaan, resemble molcß, for whatever they have been doing, tbey have .been doing in the dark." Now, he' happens to mention a difference that had arisen about the survey of the ■Mock taken up by the MaeteitonMungahao Association, and from that' point he will, perhaps, be able to thread his way, if we cast a little light oh it. When that difference arose, a number

of mem'-m withdrow, and applied to the Minister of Lands lor a block in the Maiig.itainoke district. That was not done stealthily, but in open daylight, and the fact Was duly publiaK'fid in our columns. More than that—an emissary was despatched to interview the Minister ot Lands, and to do what he could to. throw stones in the way of the new Association. With such ardor was this task curried out, that the pot boiled over, and the matter was thereupon fully exposed in. our columns. In the attempt made to influence the Minister of Lands was the work of the mole, and there only. It is not true that a statement has been freely made that the Minister of lands had " pledged his word to the representative of the so-called Mask'! ton Association." All that was evrr stated was that no. promise could be given before the Native title to the laud was extinguished, but that any application from the Masterton Association that might be received when this difficulty liad been removed, would receive fa viable consideration, The correspondence is in the hands of Mr Thos. Parsons, who has never refused any information on the subject.