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Northland Age, Volume 26, Issue 9, 23 June 1926, Page 4

We have received the following from the secretary to the Minister of Lands: —

.Sir—The attention of the Hon, the Minister of Lands has been drawn to a letter over the signature of Mr. S. Smith, Chairman Whangaroa Gum Producers’ Committee, in your issue of the I2th May last, and he has directed me to forward for publication the following ministerial statement in regard thereto : “With reference to an open | letter contributed to the ‘North- 1 land Age’of the 12th May last by Mr. S. Smith, Chairman of the Whangaroa Gum Producers’ Committee, and to a statement made therein that the authorities had received a request from Waihopo that the rolls in connection with the voting for producers’ representatives as members of the Kauri-gum Control Board should be closed, but that Mr. Wrathall had succeeded in having the time for this purpose extended: the Department of Lands and Survey is not aware of any such happenings. As a matter of fact the rolls, which will be prepared after the issue of the regulations, will contain the names of all kaurigum producers operating under licenses that will be in force for a period of not less than three months preceding the election, the date of which is not yet fixed. “No representations on the part of anyone could therefore have succeeded in closing the rolls up to the present time, and consequently there has been no occasion for : anyone to exert his Influence in having the time nor the preparation of the rolls extended.’i