THE GOVERNMENT PURCHASE AT KAWHIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6052, 11 April 1881, Page 6

THE GOVERNMENT PURCHASE AT KAWHIA.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—Seeing a paragraph in your issue of 2nd inst. stating that an impression had got abroad that the above transaction was "as usual a land swindle," and as I am, perhaps, partly to blame for this impression, will you allow me to state how this impression originated. About the beginning of last September an advertisement appeared in the Auckland papers notifying that John Charlton's land at Kawhia, comprising some forty odd acres, would be sold on the 15th of the same month, by order of ihe mortgagee. As I had been reliably informed some time previously that this was the only place suitable for a township on the harbour, combining deep water frontage with level land, I at once telegraphed to the Minister for Lauds (Mr. Rolleston) stating the facts, and suggesting that it was a good opportunity for the Government to obtain the best site for a town on that harbour. I also wrote to the same effect, detailing other reasons which would make it advantageous for the Government to obtain the land, and referring to a Government officer who had accurate local knowledge of the place. Shortly after the sale I received a letter from the Under-Secretary, by direction of Mr. Rolleston, thanking me for the information, and stating that "the land had since been purchased by the Government." On looking over the Gazette of 25th November following, to my surprise, I saw an advertisement, notifying that a piece of land at Kawhia, containing 4A acres, would be brought under the provisions of the Land Transfer Act, in the name of Frederick Whitaker. The coincidence seemed remarkable, especially as, to the best of my knowledge, no other land was held in Kawhia under Crown title, and I could not avoid coming to the conclusion that this was the same piece of land, and that it had been bought by a member of the Government, though not for the Government. I mentioned the matter to several persons, and probably from that the impression alluded to arose. However, lam very glad to know that the land in question is the property of the colony, and I hope the time is not far distant when a second edition of the Raglan road will run direct from Kawhia througli Hikurangi and Kopua to Te Awamutu railway station.—l am, &c, Edward G. McMnvx.