LAND SRTTLFMEHT IN OTAGO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13945, 3 July 1907, Page 5

LAND SRTTLFMEHT IN OTAGO.

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER. (Fbom Ocr Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 2. Mr Thos, Mackenzie his been interesting himself in the question of land settlement in Otago. The other day Jie wrote to tho chairman of tho Land Purchase Board as follows :—" On July 23 of last year a petition was presented to the Hon. W. Hall-Jones asking that certain estates should be purchased by the Government in tho Waikouaiti district. The Primo Minister then promised that your board would immediately attend to the matter. In tho Pahnerston Times of Juno 12, 1907, you are reported to havo promised the Mayor of Palmersfcon that you Would favourably consider the proposal .o purchase 2000 acr«, of Mount Royal Estate. I have also had t'ho matter of closer settlement in that district under tho notice of tho Government for some time, and have riot received any .'ommunication' from your board in that connection for a very considerable period. Boing the representative for the district, I am endeavouring to learn what you propose doing in this oonncefrion, and desire to be in a position to info. .1 my constituents of the position of tho matter."

To this letter he lias received a reply from Mr M'Nab as follows:—"Sir,—l have tho honour to acknowledge the lticeipt of your'letter of July 1, addressed to the chairman of the Land Purohaso Board, in which you state tjiat a petition was presented to the Hon. W. -Hall-Jones on July 23 last, asking that certain estates should be purchased by th-o Government in Waikouaiti, and that the Prime Minister had then promised that the I<and Purohase Board would immediately attend to the matter. In reply,' I bog to state that I have an extract from the Evoning Star; of 'July 24, 1906, in which it is stated that' you had asked the Prime Minister that morning 'to take into consideration the question of opening up moTe land within 50 of 60 miles north and south of Dunetlin, and that vou had specially mentioned (ho Mount Royal Estate of 20,000 acres and tho Springvale Estate. _ The. Prime Minister said he would look into a number of estates offering in Otago to see if anything could ho done in the direction suggested. In. aocordancc with this promise negotiations Wire opened w.ith : the owners of the Mount Roya! Estate. and ultimately an offer was made by the 'trustees to sell two blocks—ono of 1440 acres on Mount Royal and one of 3378 acres near Flag Swamp. The'o blocks were inspected, in Drccmlier, 1906, and a report was furnished, when it was decided that no further action should bo taken. With regard to the statement that the Land Pureha.se 'Hoard had promised to favonrnblv consider tho proposal to purchase 2000 acres of tho Mount. Royal Estate, I beer to say iliat no such promiao has been made. A portion of .Ashley Dowlis—37oo acres, equally (rood land. but not so highly improved and burdened with buildings—has acquired. Springvale is an eftato win on ha? not been offered for sale, and I do not know its situation. With regard to that portion of your letter<in which vou state that you had brought the .question of closersettlement under the notice of the Government for some lime, and bad not received any communication from the ■ Land Purchase Beard in th?t connection for a very considerable noriod, I beg to say that cannot, find that any of your commimW tions have not been attended , to. In (he northern part of Otaro five estates, of an area, of 30,6(6 acres, have during year been acquired, as well a? the Si.ooo acres estate near tn TJalclutba alveadv mentioned. and four Otaeo estates of 1W79 aorps have been offered for selection within a. very rccent time. If you know of any properties of a-fair size which arc suitable for division, and can be purchased at a fair price, I shall be obliged If yriu .will inform mo thereof so that. _ negotiations for their acquisition mav lie initiated.'