JOSEPH MASTERS
Sir,-The centenary of the Small Farms scheme in the Wairarapa, something unique in the settlement of land in New Zealand, has brought forth a new crop of nistorians, A few of these, although conceding Joseph Masters the credit of founding the scheme, have endeavoured to create the impression that Masters was illiterate of poor address, dependent on others for his contacts with authority, intolerant, quarrelsome, and in general a.rather unpleasant and unpopular person. Yet stich a man, early in 1853, with the blessing of Sir George Grey, on one brief visit to the Wairarapa, induced the Maoris to sell their land to the Government. This was something that not even Sir George Grey, Mr. Donald McLean, the New Zealand Company or any of their agents had succeeded in doing in six years since 1847 in spite of persistent efforts. Masters was unanimously acclaimed by the members of the Small Farms Association as the founder of the scheme and they named Masterton after him. He was elected a member of the first Board of Wardens for Masterton in
1864. In 1870 he was appointed a member of the Trust for the combined interests of the Association in Masterton and Greytown. He was three times elected a member of the Wellington Provincial Parliament, representing Wairarapa West until 1873, the year before his death. He was the founder and first Master of the Masonic Lodge in Masterton, and several times Master of the New Zealand Lodge of Freemasons. These few points indicate a greater measure of respect and confidence in Masters by the people of his time and place than these few recent historians would have us believe.
B. IORNS
Secretary
Masterton
Historical Society.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19540723.2.12.10
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 783, 23 July 1954, Page 26
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283JOSEPH MASTERS New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 783, 23 July 1954, Page 26
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