THE LAND COMMISSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12860, 8 May 1905, Page 6

THE LAND COMMISSION.

SITTING AT MAUNGATUROTO.

MORE EVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OF

THE FREEHOLD.

[iROM OUR OWN" CORRESPONDENT.]

Mauxuatukoto, Saturday. Tin. Land Commission arrived here from Warkwurth yesterday afternoon, and took evidence in the Public Hall, the sitting lasting up till nine o'clock. A large number of witnesses were examined, and many other settlers were also present. The witnesses, who included several Crown tenants on the Bickerstaffe Estate, generally expressed themselves in favour of the freehold tenure.

R. O. Smith, farmer, and a member of the Otamatea County Council, Was the first witness. He said he was of the firm opinion thai all Crown lands should be tbrown open under the optional tenure. He believed in freehold tenure, ami he thought that the reason why the Bickerstatfe sections were not going off so quickly as expected was because they Mere only offered under lease in perpetuity. He did not think there was any security under lease in perpetuity, owing to the agitation of the trades mid labour councils for revaluation. He considered that 'and boards should be elective.

Charles E. Fisher, Crown tenant on the Bickerstaffe Estate, said he was satisfied with his section and rent, but would like the right to acquire the freehold at the original valuation. All the other tenants he had spoken to bad expressed the same wish. He had no fault to find with the Land Board. He thought the Bickerstatfe Estate had not beeu entirely taken up because the land was not offered under the optional system Daniel G. Peebles, another Biekerstaffe settler, said he was satisfied with his section, hut thought the rent was rather high. He thought tenants should have the right of purchase at the original valuation. William Heathcote Jackman. freehold settler, and also a Crown tenant on Bickerstaffe, thought that the lease in perpetuity tenure should be amended to give option of purchase. He was strongly of opinion that this would be to the interests of the State as well as of the tenants. He was satisfied that the Bickerstaffe Estate would have been completely taken up if the land had been thrown open for selection under the optional system. He had no fault to find with the Land Board

James Anderson, Frank B. Winser, T. Myers, J. Dalrymple, R. Dames, and D. 0." Snclling (all .Crown tenants on the Bickerstaffe Estate, also gave evidence similar to the foregoing. William Bailey, secretary of the Maungatnroto Butler Factory, said that prior to the opening of the Bickerstaffe Estate the demand for land had been to a great extent satisfied by other sales of freehold land in the district. Thai, in his opinion, accounted for the Bickerstaffe sections not being taken up. He was in favour of the leasehold tenure with periodical revaluation of leases. [BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION*.] Whang Saturday. The Laud Commission party drove through from Maungaturoto and Waipu to-day. arriving here at seven this evening. " Perfect weather was experienced, and the roads were good. The commissioners stay over Sunday at Whangarei, and leave early on Monday morning for Kanaka wa.