Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1893.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4368, 15 March 1893, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1893.

Being the extended title or the Wairabapa Daily, with which it ii identical

The Member for Masterton asked us yesterday if any notification of the Bale of over 80,000 acres of land in this district had appeared in our columns, and we informed him in reply that it had not; and that furthermore that there was not the slightest probability of it appearing in the Wairabapa Daily Times. This journal has, possibly, a premier claim as an advertising medium in the Wairarapa district, but it is a paper of tho wrong colour, and it might be as much as the billet of the Commissioner of Grown Lands was worth, if he ventured to announce through its columns an important land sale, Heads of Departments, nowadays, are mere Ministerial lackeys, who must do exactly what they are told, Jf they possess discretion, they darp not exercise it; and we do not blame the Commissioner of Crown Lands, The serious matter is that an important and valuable block of land is to be rushed into the market in a week's time without anybody knowing anything at all without it, Persons who are waiting for tho opening of this block have, as yet, absolutely no intimation of it being available, and by the laches of the Government they are robbed of their fair chance of securing a seotion of it, If wo contrast Mr Baker's administration with that of Mr Marobant, what do we find? Mr Marckant announced sales of important blocks at least a month beforehand, he circulated plans through the various newspaper offices, and he actually employed guides to show intending purchasers tho sections they desired to inspect. Or take the case of private auctioneers, Messrs Lowes and lornß are about to offer an important block of (and in the Pnketois. They advertise it far and wjdo a month before hand, and if the head of the firm ventured to dispose of it without giving due publicity to his intentions, be would probably bo regarded as "insane and placed under restraint. Perhaps in the whole history of land transactions in New Zealand there is nothing ! more scandalous than the manner in i which several large' blocks are now : being put injtp the market, and we ; are glad .to learn from Ijjo' member: for Masterton that he has called | upon thi Government to postpone the sale jt) prdejr th'at proper publicity \ muy be given to it, The tjme'ha'B j arrived when some one should inter- < fere to check the maladministration '

1 of tbe department, and we are pleased that Mr Hogg has undertaken the i task, His loyalty to the Government is unquestioned, but were he to-be silent when gross jobs like these were perpetrated, he would betiay the interests lof his constituents. In this matter, Mr Hogg is altogether in the right and the Government altogether in tbe ffrong. Unless they give way they will force their own strongest supporters to denounce their administration. From twenty to thirty thousand pounds worth of hind is to be placed on the market lub rom, mi settlers, who might desire to seleot from the numerous blocks npeoified.wiih probably get this,-the only intimation as yet given of the opening, of the land to selectors, too late to be of any practical use to them. The following are the blocks whioh on the 22nd inst. are to be thrown open for selection: - 4,150 acres, Wainuioru j 1,940, Gladstone j 5.G00, North-east Pukotoi; 2,400, South Metoi; 1,750, North Puketoi; 4,760, Waiohino South; 430, Puketoi; 562, Ohanga; 542. Miki Miki; 1,921, Onoke, (Cross* (Jreek).