HATUMA IN A NEW PHASE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4309, 19 March 1901, Page 4

HATUMA IN A NEW PHASE.

There are people in the country who imagine that there is much more to be said about Mr Purvis Russell’s estate than ho has said. Of the number is Mr Charles Pharazyn, whoso: letter oh the subject wo publish this morning. Mr Russell’s offer of “ransom” appears to such people as a reality. "What they mean is that this particular estate! is of such a character that it must always produce more in the hands of a single proprietor than in the hands of many. Of course, if'that is true, it is manifestly to the interest of the State that the property should remain in private hands. The State, it is almost needless to rc.mark, did not embark on the plan of expropriation for the purpose of lessening the productiveness qf the land. This view put forward by Mr Pharazyn is new. It was not advanced by Mr Parvis Russell, and it is not in the least degree implied by his offer of £60,000 to the Government for restoration. Mr Pharazyn has carried the matter into a new phase, and so drawn attention to a large public principle. At the'first blush, however, it must appear to the lightest of thinkers that this aspect of the question can hardly have escaped the Rand Purchase Department-, which has cut up

the Hatuma property for small settlement in the honest belief that it will be made more productive thereby. Mr Pharazyn’s proposal is that the Government should frankly confess itself convinced that the property will be more productive as a whole than subdivided, and return it to Mr Russell, that gentleman undertaking to give as much land, up to 7000 acres, as will satisfy the needs of the district; or perhaps his proportion of the supply. One. question, preliminary, of course, is about the heavy law costs, amounting to many thousands of pounds, incurred in this case; and another is about the cost of surveying, subdividing and getting ready for settlement, all of which work is now complete. It is, of course, impossible for any Government to accept the explanation of an outsider of the offer made by Mr Russell, or to propose to reinstate the owner at outside suggestion. The obvious course is for the friends of Mr Purvis Russell to prove their new case to the satisfaction of all reasonable men.

Should they succeed', it May be right for the Government, at the request of Mr Russell himself, to withdraw. The establishment of a' precedent must bo guarded against, however. Hatuma is, of the two cases in which the compulsory clauses of the' Act have been enforced, the first that has led to a straggle. Scmcr thing may he therefore said for exceptional treatment, provided it be shown that the State gains by the retention of larger production more than it would m lose by the absence of closer settlement | over the r whole estate. The position | meanwhilo is that we arc hound to ac-j cept the report of tho Government ox-j peris that the block is in every wayj suited for close settlement, and that no| case lias bean made out for relinquishing! tho victory sc dearly won, on any ground of equity, justice, or expediency.