THE TOKATOKA BALLOT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 205, 27 August 1904, Page 6

THE TOKATOKA BALLOT.

ALLEGED DUMMYISM. SECTION AND PAYMENTS FORFEITED. The Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr J. M-_-e__ie) brought before the Crown Lands Board yesterday afternoon a case which he said looked like an attempt at "dummyism," as is called the practice of getting others to apply for sections and take the chance at the ballot so as to increase an individual's chance of succeeding at the ballot. The following note appeared on the agenda paper:—"C. H. S. McKinney, of Auckland, was successful in the ballot ou the 11th inst. for section 55, Block XVI., Tokatoka survey district, 9G acres. The total area comprised in his application was 520 acres odd. He is already a holder under occupation with right of purchase of section 2, Block VII., Whareorino survey district, 640 acres of first-class land, title registered in his name. Under section 153 of the Land Act, 1892, he is at once disqualified from taking up the above section 55, and no doubt he has been guilty of misdemeanour and brought himself under sections 83 and 99 of the same Act. AppLcant has been summoned to ap pear before the Board." The applicant against whom this charge was made appeared before the Board, and described himself as a Customhouse agent. He candidly confessed that he had applied for the land at Tokatoka, but ha asserted that at the time he Was unaware that there was another area of 640 acres standing against his name in the books of thr Department, which land he had somf time previously drawn at a ballot That land he had obtained in orde; that he might transfer it to the Mc Corniiek Bros. He adn itted that hi had not applied for eitner block foi his own use or benefit —it was simpl) that his friends might 'have a bel/te] chance at the ballot. He assured thi Board that he had acted innocently. Hi did not stand to get a single penny foi his assistance in the matter—not ever for hia time. In the case of the Toka toka oallot he had gone in for th< land to oblige a friend named Alfret Ball, who wanted the section he hac appl'ed f.or. It was the intention o Mr Ball to occupy the section if he (thi applicant) were successful, and subse qucntly the hold'ng tvould be trans ferred to Mr Ball. The applicant re peated that he did not stand to mak anything by the transaction, and h had not done anything wrong with the intention of so doing. Mr McKinney _aid that what he had done was the practice of thousands. Mr Greenslade: If you are serious it is easy to understand why it is bona fide settlers cannot get on the land! Mr McKinney subsequently qualified his statement to "hundreds," and did not abate the figure. The Commissioner: The Government does not cut up land for the benefit of speculators. Mr McKinney: This was not speculation. I did not make anything out of it at all. Hundreds have done it before mc. Mr Grenslade: With what object? Mr McKinney: To get an additional chan.e of success for the applicant who really wants the land. I hay. known v case where there were 23 in for the one section on behalf of one person. lanot a speculator. I have simply acted for a friend. Mr Greenslade: Have you ever donethis before 1 Mr McKinney: Yes: The Commissioner: But he has no' been successful. It was only becauswe checked our ledgers that we four ' out th_t this applicant had violated th regulations. (Turning to Mr Mc Kinney): You want us to believe ths' you signed this declaration withou knowixtg that you were committ'ng breach of the law? Mr McKinney: I didn't know I widoing anything wrong. Tbe Commissioner said there was on'y one course open to the Board, and thn* was to forfeit both the holdings. F--himself be would have to report th' circumstances to the Government, an leave the Minister to decide w-heth? any further action would have to b" taken in the matter. He moved th ' both the "holdings in Mr McKinne ' name be forfeited and the deposits f other moneys held by the Depa_.ir.-~ for the land be likewise forfeited. T jduty ol the Board was. plain.

Mr Greenslade seconded the -notion. ! Ie could not but ad___re Mr McKinney's ! remarkable candour, and thought •it rather c_ editable that Mr McKinney should make so clear a statement on laving found himself in the wrong. At the same time, after the remarkable statement of Mr McKinney that hunireds made a practice of entering for properties they had no intention of oe2upying, it was clear that the Board would have to take a-ctive measures to prevent this sort of dummyism. It was j.ear that if these statement, were correct then there was something seriously wrong with the working of the system under which land was taken up. The Commissioner: 1 was satisfied that there was some attempt at speculation at the Tokatoka ballot, and that was why I warned speculators off. Mr Harris: I was at the ballot, and 1 confess I wa3 astonished to see some of the people who attended it. They were not looking for land on which to settle, I'm certain. After some further discussion, in the course of which members of the Board expressed the opinio.i that Mr McKinney had acted entirely out of a good-natured desire to oblige friends, the Commissioner's motion was passed, with the addition that he should report the circumstances to the Minister. The Commissioner stated that he had another ease to bring before the Board. This was a case in which the person concerned was the holder of more than he 'was entitled to when he applied for a Tokatoka section, and although he was not successful he had apparently committed a breach of the Act. The matter was held over till the next meeting of the Board, the person concerned being summoned to attend the Board and explain.