A VALUED COMMISSIONER

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 186, 1 May 1908, Page 4

A VALUED COMMISSIONER

PRESENTATION TO MR. J. STRAUCHON. LAND BOARD AND STAFF. REMARKS ON. LAND SETTLEMENT. . Yesterday Mr. John .Strauchon, Commissioner' of Crown Lands in tlio Wellington District, presided ; for the last time over the Land Board, prior to his departure to his now sphere at .Auckland. ( After the Board's adjournment the ranks of tho niembors wero swelled by., all tlio .officers and clerks of the Lands Department, and in the presenco :of. this largo gathering, Mr. A. Reese, senior member of tho Board, on behalf of his follqw-fnemhers, made Mr. Strauchon a present of a' large, inscribed travelling , trunk. '• EXPRESSION OF, ESTEEM AND GOOD WISHES. '■■■' Mr. Ree'so said it gavo him very great pleasure to have this duty delegated to him, because, although the present was not of great intrinsic value, it would.act as-an intlio; feelings of tho members towards Mr. Strauchon—(applause)— and of, their sincere wishes for his .future success in the queen city ofthe-north. . ;Mr. Strauchon's position is Commissioner of Crown Lands was perhaps ono of the most important offices in' the Dominion,' and the speaker felt he echoed, tho feelings also of his. colleagues when he said- their' chairman was orio 'of the . most, "persistent and industrious battlers" it was ever, his lot to be associated with.. (Ajiplauso.) Mr. Reese' had ' been associated, with the Commissioner in other spheres, and. he had'nevor known him ( to leave undoho anything for others to do that could ho done by.'himself. His adago was,' like that of . Miles, Standish: "If you want,, a thing done do it yourself; don't leave it to others." .'Op a previous occasion it was the; fate of Mr. Strauchon's predecessor, in dffic'e 'to .bo sent somewhat hurriedly Into tho'South, and whilst there, no doubt frotting in consequonce of his removal,; it- foil to his lot to perform;, what- was probably ono of tho most remarkable services' that; a .Commissioner could, have '.carried .'.out, vizi, to lay. the,"foundation of the' present' system of. ■land sbttlqment.' ,v He..; l had charge ~of, 'the Cheviot.,Estate,*,Jirst 'of, all, 'and. this.' was the.; initial' expp'riment in' that ''direction. Upon the success.'of that' schom'6, the great Minister (the late John M'Kenr.ie) had brought ' down' his .-land settlement" policy. That was rather a momentous i occasion' for Mr: Marcharit; -and' • subsequently,. having boon a : littlo v/hile longer with them,- lie-was 'elevated to the b'sliest office in tile Department. In taking his departure Mr. Strauchon had reason to look forward, probably, :to some. similar, achievement. (Applause.) ' Hp';hoped.^the';!presentation, would ' remind hini of the old. Board. Mr. Reese- paid, a, tribute tho good feeling that , had' always oxisted among tho members of the Board,' and: finally'wished Mr. Strauchon every hnppinPss,- and success in the future.,. (Loud' applause.) \ Mombcrs of the LAnd Boarcl tlion mado a .fow remarks. • , • Mr. Joseph Dawson, with many -years' experience of local bodies, said-that all busi- 1 nciss 'done, by the Boarcl under Mr. Strauchon- had-been most. thoroughly ,■ investigated; and; no. rc'solutions;.liad been', forced;thro'iigh.;Tho.:'Commissipiler had: : .:: ; always';beetr very cpMidi^ra)«'/;,*and:''h(;.f.was.' : oypry-': tiling.; Ho '.had; acted" in' the. interests '' of ! both the Crown. and' tho Crowii tenants,' soryi'ng.-the rights . of hoth sides/'car.ofully! Ho was, in short, nil-idea] Commissioner and chairman. (Hear, hoar.) Tho speaker hoped to sop ; him occupy ■ a ..much higher position .1 when .next"-he-.camo .to'-'Wellington.. (Applause.) ■ , , -. 1 1 ' Mr. C. JConton .said"lie poiild statd !on behalf' trf, tho settlers.: of 'the. liackhlocks .that they] Verb'.iyery ; sorry,,- to 'lc>a: their. Com-,, missionpr.-As ...far.-.,north'; as .';Taumaninui settlers had...bxnresspd 'this'.opiniori.,', ,V I. i. Mr. A'Court also'expressed good'wishes. MR. STRAUCHON'S REPLY. . > Mr. Strauchon snoko of tho pleasure it : gavejhim:to hear the remarks iof; the; Board;.He. -had tried ;to do I .',his;.bcatj;'-bui' could hardly claim'that. the flattering .'remarks just , :iriadev:were'; ; iustified;i : Thoir meetings; had always boon .most; harmonious;, thorp,-'had scarcely';been';a, rnfflp,; • -Ho was' sure. : tho.v ■liad worked' together -for '.the .best interests' of: tho' back-block settlers. : At times tho sottlers .themselves might, not ;liavo. thought :so, hut. thd ,efforts,.pf tlio Board had'always .boon in' that,;direction. He proceeded', to speak: of previous '"members' of, tho Board. Mr. J. Stevens, M;P. l i 1 ..-hadvbcdn'i.a most valuable.' member—practically the business' member of the Board. They .had relied .upon .him. largely in this respect., ;His ;election to tho House of Representatives li'ad,- by Act of Parliament, -■.prevented,, him. : continuing; 'a member '■ of . the 'Board. : ; They, had..also. experienced .regret,at losing .Mr;, Ho|g, M.P;, who had been a.■ prominent .member of the Board for many:years. .Mr; Strauchon;went on to say. that the Board had . travelled ..over country' a good deal, and had iritorviewed many settlers, and liad been cordially received by/most.of-them.;:'They had always left on 'good- .terms'. •. They found tlioir.'trips round .the.'country- had done, good iii explain- 1 ing; away many of the anomalies that had oxisted under, the Act, 1 , and especially under' the VLands . for .Sottlpment - Act. These anomalies .were chiefly imagined griov,mces,.; and :e'aeh. settler: had beeii; interviewed. '' The secretary: of the, Board was iwith . .'them, '' and : had .recorded each complaint. -As' a.. rulo' tlio settlers-had. been satisfied with the explanations offered. , Tlio: only.'itliing'.was.'a .fear amongst,tho cottiers thny ivcro going- to--havo;'legislati6h,- to - :tako - away -their lease-, , in-perpotuity.Ho' • thought- -that- settlement ■ had/progressed during -his term in- Welling-; ton; i Very few./.of the/settlers that had taken up land in that l time wero now poor mon.'- 'They, had had good years; .Vorj few", arrears of , rent'wero oil tho books; and on tho whole tho tenants, had, paid up splondidly.: ; For a- large: district their,, arrears were practically nil. In conclusion he returned his warmest thanks for tlio presentation.' (Applauso.) ■ . .TRIBUTE-FROM THE STAFFS.- - ' Subsequently another gathoring took place when Mr. Strauchon; received a presentation from. the various staffs of the Lands Office' Mr. LlewellyrSmith; - Chi.ef' Draughtsman" said that; in losing Jlr. Strauchon tho'staffs lost -a personal friend, and an officer for whom they would . individually' ii-ork "most willingly, and untiringly. (Applause.). 'He was ■ one of the 'best men they had worked' under. (Applause.) : Mr. Smith asked Mr Strauchon 'to -accept a vciy; fiiie silver tea and coffee servicei a caso of silver tea spoons and: an illuminated address. 1 Tho' address expressed. sincere regret. at; the : severarico, and referred to - tho, hapoy connections of the office with Mr. Strauchon in tho past - .Appropriate remarks .wero, al §0 . made by Mr. Welch (chief draughtsman), Mr. J J) Climie, (Lispecting Surveyor). Mr Wrirrhf (Chief Clerk), Mr. W.iD. B. Murray ®f Mr; Gre'ville (Surveyor) Mr CaldweH ;and the Hon, G, F.'. Richardson: Mr. Strauchon, who was loudly oheored in replying, said'he felt proud at the appreciation expressed for him, and regret at leaving. 'He 'had, now been six' and a halfyears in the Wellington office,''and durin" that -time ' had mot with every courtesy" Ho again expressed his thanks for tho, presentations. - . ;■ ■ ■ . -Hearty cheers wero thon given for Mr. and ■Mrs. Strauchon.,