A VISIT TO GLENHAM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 16

A VISIT TO GLENHAM.

GORE, March 4-. The Land Commission had a drive through ihe Wyndham district this morning, starting it 7 o'clock and returning at 10. A vibit «vas made to the Glonham settlement. The dairy farmers on this settlement seem to be treating their land to advantgae, though a number are not satisfied. Some of the =cc* tions remain unlet, the reason probably bein«- that there is so much private land in. fche market". Some of the North Island members of the commission were pleased to see the rolling downs of this country so well grassed, and expressed the opinion that bhe estate was a bargain to the Government at £2 10s an acre.

William M'Kay, settler, of Heriot, near Tapanui. where he has S6O acres i-orpetual leasehold with the option of purchase, said he was a freeholder formerly at Dunrobm, but he was well satisfied with his present tenure, and did not wish to convert it into a freehold. The Crown tenants in his district were prosperous — more so than the freeholders. When he was a freeholder the mortgagor got_all his unearned increment — ' every penny of it. He thought the lease in perpetuity rather a long tenure. It would be time enough to give the farmers the freehold when they wanted it. This witness gave the commission a lecture in a comewhat excited tone, and after ho had departed it was found that he had taken away with him the Bible on which he had ibeen sworn. The local constable was 'despatched after him, and the missing byik recovered.

Thomas Ayson, who gave evidence yesterday, reappeared, and pointed out that ragvrorfc and Californian thistle seed could not be distributed by means of Southland grass seed, because the grass seed was m stuck before these weeds had gone to seed. Ho emphasised his former evidence in favour of the freehold. Mr M'Cardle spoke strongly about the danger of noxious weeds spreading from Southland, telling the witness he •had had more experience than he (wirness) had had. Mr M'Lennan told the witness that ne knew perpetual leaseholds that were just as tvell kept as freeholds. A member of the commission objected that these were statements, and not questions. Mr Anstey mentioned the fact that during a recent dri\e the commission had seen one leasehold beautifully kept s.nd a freehold near it on which there was a great, "deal of gorse and other weeds. Witness said he had no doubt Mr Anstey was referring to his section. The reason of the weeds was that he had taken up the land on lease, and could not see the force ,of clearing the land, which was very bad with weeds when he- got it. As joou : a he gob the freehold he began to clear iho weeds, and now he would eventually get clear of them.— (Laughter from the freeholders.) John Grcenlers. a farmer with 123 acos di leasehold, said it would now be v »posiible to keep dowa tho ragwort in the back

country. In some places tho weeds were so bad that if the Noxious Weeds Act wero enforced the settlers would have to abaa J m their sections. The ragwort on iho education leases was no worse than on the freehold selections. The commission has arrived at Gore.