THE MOUTOA ESTATE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3830, 11 August 1928, Page 2

THE MOUTOA ESTATE.

PETITION TO PURCHASE TURNED DOWN. REPLY BY MINISTER OF LANDS Some time ago a public meeting was convened by the Flaxmills Employees’ Union at which a motion was carried requesting the Government to purchase the Moutoa Estate for flax-growing .purposes. A petition in support of same was circulated and subsequently presented by a deputation to the Minister of Lands. The Minister, Hon. A. D. McLeod, has forwarded the following letter, under date August 6th, to Mr J. Link] a ter, M.P., in connection with same: — “Dear Sir, —You will no doubt remember being present at a deputation representing the residents of Foxton which recently met the Hon. the Minister of Agriculture and myself when a petition was presented urging the purchase by the Government of the Moutoa Estate, Foxton, for flax-growing purposes. You will also recollect that after hearing the remarks of the deputation I promised to re-submit the matter to the Dominion Land Purchase Board for consideration and report. “I am now advised by the Land Purchase Controller that the question has been considered by the Board which decided not to take any action in the matter as the Board is able only to consider the question of purchase of private lands for closer settlement purposes and not for those of flaxgrowing. “I am advising the members of the deputation to the above effect.”