THE FREEHOLD TENURE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12537, 26 June 1901, Page 6

THE FREEHOLD TENURE.

TO IBM EDITOR. Sir,—Having admitted that I had quoted the Premier correctly, you now take fresh ground. You say I implied that the Premier held certain opinions. Heaven forbid that I should accuse him of holding any opinions that hois not prepared! to change. If, for instance, you are prepared to affirm that he holds any fixed and definite opinions on any questions, I think -I could supply votes or utterances on his pant in opposition'to your assertion. I could set you a very interesting examination paper upon the Premier’s views, and prove that any answer you gave was wrong. Some'day, if you like, we will try it. ■ The Premier’s attitude is “ Show me what the public want and 1 will give it them." He follows, but does not lead public opinion. That may be proper enough from your point of view, but we axe hot discussing-that question, What Mr Ehodes.and myself said; was. that the freehold was bound to come, and the Premier admitted it. You disputed our assertion. We were right. That was all. When the proper time comes he will place himself at the head of the movement and declare that he has been fighting for it from hig cradle. Meanwhile, he has ’ supplied himself with a Minister for Lands who is known to be a supporter of the freehold tenure, v As for the Premier’s subsequent remarks, they contained a number of ‘‘ifs*’ air of them based upon conditions which I have never suggested. ’As for the reaggregation of large estates, we have had thl freehold tenure in Canterbury for fifty years. Can you point to one large or medium. sized. estate that has' been built-up by purchases from freeholders. - Of .course you, cannot. On the contrary, you know that estates, are yearly growing smaller by sub-division, deaths and sales. And reaggregation of land pm-chased from the Crown can be easily prevented.—l am, etc.,

C. LEWIS. (If our correspondent diet not wish, to imply that the Premier whs favourable to granting the freehold we cannot see why he quoted his words at all. However, we accept, his assurance that he had: no intention termisrepresent Mr Seddon. We could point to several large estates that have been built up by purchases from freeholders, but if there were none the case for the discontinuance of sales of Crown land would be as strong as ever.— Ed. “ L.T.”)