Hawke's Bay Herald. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1887. LAND BOARDS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7914, 1 December 1887, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1887. LAND BOARDS.

It is evident from the tone 0/ tl.e delxtte on the Land Hill that a determined effort will be made in cjnimittco to strike out the clause providing for the abolition of Land Boards. We hope that the attempt will not be successful, or that, if the Boards are retained, they will be made partially elective. As at present constituted the Boards are either actively mischievous or merely expensive machines to register the decrees of the Chief Commissioner. The latter is generally the only member of t^je Board who understands our complex land laws, and tho only one having accurate knowledge of the different blocks of land to be dealt with. Yet every foi tnight or every month the Boards meet and go through a mass of.purely formal business, for winch each of the five members outside the Chief Commissioner receives £1 per meeting, as well as travelling allowances on a most liberal scale. It is a fact shown on the official returns of the Boards that individual members in different parts of the colony have drawn from £150 to £175 annually for attendance at Land Board meetings, a sum wholly disproportionate to the value of their services. No local bodies really have so little important business to decide, ynt in none is the scale of payment so liberal. Members of county councils or education buards are only allowed bare travelling expenses, and no more should be given to anyone occupying a public position, or office will be sought for the sake of its emoluments, and the experience of the United States— and, on a limited scale, our «wn experience of the payment of nienjbers of Parliament— show to what evils this mercenary pursuit of office leads. If the Boards are to be retained they should be put on the same footing as other local bodies as regards allowances to members. They should also be partially elective. Of late years appointments nothing short of scandalous in their nature have been made. Members of Land Boards have been appointed as a •eward for political services, and entirely irrespective ot the knowledge of the real ionditions of land settlement posseted >y them. It is not necessary to par;icularise instances, for they are sulliliently numerous and notorious. That brin of reward for party services hould he made impossible, and if ye are still to have Land Boards the lominee system should be abolished in avor of some elective basis. What that >asis should be is a matter for discussion. ?robably appointment by county couueils ir road boards would be most satisfactory, -preponderance of representation beiiig ;iven to bodies having jurisdiction over districts in which fho greater areas of unold Crown lands are situated In that ray men conversant with the nature of he land to be sold, and the difficulties ttendmil on breaking in new country, as ,'ell as of the many surrounding cbndiions affecting settlement, would bo lected to the Boards, and they might lien he of some practical use.