CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 7053, 24 October 1900, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

A GRIEVANCE.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,— Would you kindly give publicity to the following few facts showing the inconsistency of the Public Trustee re the eviction of R. Smith from section 129, block VII, Waimate, and his action now in offering the said section for public tender. The Public Trustee's valuation for improvements on section 129 was £14 per acre, and on this valuation Mr Smith was prepared to stand or fall. If the valuation is a fair and just one, Smith is in the wrong, and deserves all the suffering and loss he has been put to through the action of the Trustee.^ On the other hand, if the valuation is not just and fair, the Public Trustee is wrong, and should not have demanded payment for a fictitious valuation. The tenant was evicted because he opposed the valuation for improvements. The Public Trustee is now offering the land with improvements, but without burdening the incoming tenant with cost of such improvements. Other sections are offered for lease as under :— Lot 14, improvements, £20 ; lot 15. improvements, £14 ; lot 33, improvements, £40. Tenders for any of the above lots must be accompanied with a cheque for the amount of improvements, or will not be accepted. Whilst the section Smith was evicted from carried improvements valued at JG223, it is now offered to the public at a rental of £15 12s, without being burdened with the improvements. Is not this an ad; mission on the part of the Public Trustee that the valuation of improvements at £223 was not a fair and just valuation? Surely the natives have a right to know something about this £223. If it was just and right for Smith to pay this amount for improvements, the natives have a right to expect the section to be saddled with this £223.-1 am, etc.,

Enquirer.