PUNAKITERE SETTLERS' GRIEVANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 211, 4 September 1915, Page 11

PUNAKITERE SETTLERS' GRIEVANCE.

(By Telegraph. -rarUameutarr Reporter.) WELLINGTON. Frnlay. I hi- Land < ommittee tliis afternoon returned a petition from thirty-two wttlers of the Punakitorp Mock. Hokianpa. a-kinj to l>e restored to the position of I'rown tenant*. The Committee reported that it hail no recommendation to make. The im-mli.T f>.r the B.iv of Mandu protested apnin-t the l oii'imittcr's rfe-i-ision. that the petitioners had a very genuine grievance. nn,l deserved consideration at the hands of Parliament. The I'nnie Minister pointed out that these settlers were pUi-cd on tins land about the year 1S!K). and they were ,'iven to underbtand that they ivere fjoing on I to ordinary Crown land. At all event*, j they thought so. but afterward- dis- | covered that the land had been handed j over as an endowment to the borough of i'arnell. This disposed of the settler*' right of purchase, and many o f them berime discouraged and left tile settlement. H>- (Mr Massey) some time ago approached the Auckland City Council and aeked them whether they would dispose of tiir land at a fair prii-e, in tthicn ra-e lie wanted to ask Parliament to vote the nioiiev and let the land become ordiS^^y^' t Jrivlnjr the settlers the opportunity to purchase. The Auckland Council declined, however. He certainly.thought the settlers had a grievance, and ~umething -iiould be done to remedy it. j Mr Escott moved that the report be refern-1 hack lor further consideration, and the Minister of Agriculture I Hon. |Mr MaeUonaldl supported thus amendI ment. expreesinj the belief that the setti ler* had a grievance, and that their evidence should lie heard before the committee arrived at a final derision. I Severe! members spoke for and i against the amendnient. city members j contending that local body . mlowments sh.mld n ot lx> interfered with, as they ■vere held in the public interest. I'ltij mately the House decided to adopt the amendment, and the report was referred Lack. A similar petition from twelve settlers at Kimihia. near Huntly, a-ked that they be allowed the freehold of their Auckland (*nivi>r*itv Endowment lands. The Lnnils Committee made no recom■nendation. pointing out that the matter was a question of policy. The report was received.