AND BOARD APPOINTMENTS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14759, 1 September 1913, Page 2

AND BOARD APPOINTMENTS.

_ ♦-- .TO THE EDITOR OF '''THE FRESS." Sir,—l note that Mr Forbes, M.P., brought up at the Royd Garlck enquiry, the recent appointment to the Canterbury Land Board, as an illustration of the Spoils to the Victors policy of the Massey Government. The facts of the case are that the last session before I was elected member for Hrunui, the House expressed tho opinion that it was not desirable that members of Parliament should be members of Land Boards. Mr John McLachlan, M.P., in consequence retired. Representations were made to mc that Mr John Allan, a substantial farmer at Waikari, would make a good member, and was willing to act. Hence»his appointment. A year or two after Mr Allan took his seat, , Mr Humphries, then Commissioner of Crown Lands, expressed to mc his entire satisfaction with Mr Allan, whom he characterised as an acquisition to the Bp-.ird. Mr Allan remained a member during *ihe time I was iii Parliament, but shortly after Mr Forbes was elected, Mr Allan was notified by tho # Government, with thanks for past services, that he was not further required. AllGibson, who replaced him, is a consistent advocate of the leasehold principle was a strenuous supporter of the Ward Government, and it is understood a personal friend of Mr I'orbes Tho latter statement, it is true, is based upon the man in the street information, but I would not give it- if I did n# believe it to bq correct. Mr Allan, although feeling somewhat hurt at his curt dismissal after six years of goocl work, submitted to fate without any fu*_. Air Gibson, apparently without any qualms of conscience, jumped Mr Allan's claim. At any rate, he did not previous to accepting the position communicate with Mr Allan. That Mr Gibson was a suitable representative of a leasehold Government on the Land Board. I frankly admit, but it would be an anomaly to retain his services to assist in the administrative work of a freehold Government. Mr Gibsou once stoood for election as a Crown tenants' : representative, and was defeated. Some i months before the expiry of Mr Gibson's ' period of office, I was informed by some of the Crown tenants that strong efforts were being made to shift him, and to! substitute Mr Gee, as consistent an advocate of freehold as is Mr Gibson of j leasehold. These efforts were successful. It is true that Mr Geo in politics is of tho Massey hue. but he was the man favoured by the majority of the Crown tenants. It may be that I am affected by obliquity of vision, but irrespective of politics, I can see nothing wrong in Mr Gee's appointment. No person in his senses would expect the freehold Massey Government to appoint leaseholders as members of the Land Board. Apropos of the numerous charges levied by the Opposition against the Government of practising the Spoils to the Victor? policy, I should have thought the appointment of tho Leader of the late Government to the High Commissionership, £2000 a year, the highest position within their gift, should for ever have silenced charges of that sort. Yours, etc., A. W. RUTHERFORD. , Mendip Hills.