GOVERNMENT LAND PURCHASE

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 169, 17 July 1914, Page 4

GOVERNMENT LAND PURCHASE

A CKA_-E OF FATBOITAftE. PRIiME MIXISTER'S REPLY. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLIXGTON. thinsday. •Replying to allegaTione made by the member for Wellington South in.tie iHou-se th's afternoon, the Prime Minister =aid Mr. Hindmansh bad said tilt the Government was in the habit of pichasing land from its own supportetßit higher pricfs than the land) was worth, and special reference -had been made w the estate purchased from >Mr. Letfr bridge in HaWke's 'Bay. 'He vquli pre an emphatic contradiction tarthis State■ment. The Government _d not parchase land, from any individual, for « Land Purchase Board was set up by Act of 'Parliament. There had beei no change in the personnel of the Land •Purchase Board.-feince the present -Government came into office. The Government had. iS that time, made quite a number of purchases, but, with the exception of one block, he had never seen one of the estates until the land was ' purchased. The Government took ao part in the tregotiationa. (Mr. Lettbridge's property was practically purchased before the Government came into office, and the only part they had tak-en in the transaction was to pay Mr. fjethbridge for the property purchaeed by the previous Governhrant. Mr.Hindmarsh bad made a gross mis-sta'teairtt of fact, and 1 the proper thing for hint ta do was to stand up and apologise. • Mr. Hindmarsh said that shortly after the Government came into office ie saw Mr. 'Massey. and) had said he hoped that the Government would not tike over the Sherenden Estate withont Jinking inquiries about it, Ibecanse the land was not suitable for clcse settlement Mr. Massey replied! that the matter was not decided, and l that he would —ake inquiries. . rThe Premier said.that he was qtute prepared to lay all the papers relating to the purchase 'before P*ri*»_ent. Th-Ese would show that in regird to the purchase of Sherenden 'there was nothmg left for the Government to do when it came into office hut to confif- '« transaction and to find the _6ney..lD" stead of rhe Sherenden settlement being a failure, it had! ibeen a thorough Mt 1 cess. Etctv section had been taken up. and, co for"as he had 1 been a<bie to leirn, the eettl-ers were well satisfied. (Sir. Hindmarsh said) that all tbe people from whom land had 'been purctett were supporters of the Government. Mr. Maciseyt I give that statement an emphatic contradiction. I know sevtt«l of the men from whom landi has neen purchased, and 'they are not all friend* of the Government.