EVIDENCE AT LUMSDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 18

EVIDENCE AT LUMSDEN.

SETTLERS' GRIEVANCES. LUMSDEN, March 9. The Land Commission held at meeting at Lumsden to-day. The Secretary of the Eltham branch of the Farmers' Union wrote forwarding a resolution passed at a recent meeting to the pffect that the commission be asked to s:t it Opunake, Stratford, and Hawera, as well »s at New Plymouth. — It was agreed to reply stating that every effort would be made to sit at the three places mentioned. The Secretary of the Tepuke (Tauranga) branch of the Farmers' Union wrote stating bhat that branch would be pleased to place ths views of its members before rh. e comraission. James Milne, lessee of Fernhill Run. Wakatipu, said there were 49.000 acres in the run, the rent of which was £33 per annum. He had been on it for 14 years. He had tried surface sowing of grass, which took well if the season was damp. He had sown an area of about 2000 acres in 10 years. The crass held well. He sowed cocksfoot and white clover, which gradually- replaced the fern. The run now carried 7000 sheep. He had a lease for 21 years, v.'hi'h lie considered long 1 enough. The Chairman : In what way do you think the Government might give more encouragement to a runholder.

Witness : 1 think they ought to be given more valuation for grass sowing and other incprovemeuts at tho end of the terra. Further examined, witness said his sheep wore merino, and his average clip per sheop was about 61b. In 1895 he lost 1500 sheep la the snow. In other year? the deaths from all causes were about 12 per cent. If the Government gave enrouraafem-ent he believed the tenants of lar°;e runs would take the trouble to bring the runs up to a

higher carrying capacity. There was a little of the anise plam on h:s land now. Frank H Al'Lsod, holder of a lease' v peipetuity at Caroline, said ho had 1332 acres, which he used at. a small grazing run. He also had 300 acres of freehold. He v-'ould like the freehold of the ground 'k; now held under lea^w. The Chairman : If you had the option cf purchase, would you make it a freehold right off? Witness : It; is likely I would. Would 3'ou be agreeable to having jour land valued and the lease put up to auction? — I would be only too glad to get my improvements and leuve the- land altogether. I spent a lot of money en it. The Jsox:ous Weeds Act is going to bother us, and if the weeds get very bad the hills won't be worth anything. ■■•ir Forbes : Does the inspector go to your place about noxious -weeds? — Witness: I got notice to clear the weeds. The Government lands alongside are thoroughly infected with briar, some of it sft high. I haie written to the head office in Wellington, but have got no satisfaction. Do you not think it would be sensible en the part of the Stock Department to concentrate its efforts to eradicate the thistle and briar and leave ragwort alone? — I think if; would. Sheep keep cown tr.e ragwort pretty well. We would not care to" put hordes or cattle on it. but it docs not harm sheep. As far as the country is concerned I do not think it is a noxious weed at all. Mr Anstey: Would it b-o sensible on tns part of the 'Government to put a few sheep on the ragwort to keep it down?— Witness : Yes, it would. I offered to put shceiD on the land, but they informed me they were not giving away tho people's patrimony. They would rather give a few pounds to the unemployed to clear it off"?— lt seems so. . , Do you noS: think that if tne tiapping ot rabbits was stopped there would be fewer rabbits in Southland?— l would be glad if it was stopped. James Milne, recalled, said he did not like rabbit traps, because they destroyed ferrets, weasels, and stoats. He had tried to breed cats for killing rabbits, but it was a failure. Cats v.ere hardier than ferrets in cold weather, and killed many rabbits. The woodhen was now extinct in the district. No doubt weasels were the cause. Some parts of his fences weic netted, but in rough txrantrv it was not possible to do so. AH the land he cultivated had to be netted. Mr Anst&y : Do you not think that trapping keeps" rabbits on the increase rather than on the decrease? — Witness: I think it tends to decrease the rabbit's natural enemy. I suppose the trappers would rather kill a weasel than a rabbit?— Yes. I think so. Donald Fraser, blacksmith, Lumsden, said he held two quarter-acre sections in Lumsden. They were education reserves, under the control of the School Commissioners. Almost every second section was an education reserve.' Ths tenants would not make the inmrovenients on them that they would like to" because they would not get valuation. It would be a good thing for the town, and more buildings would be erected, if a * fair valuation were allowed for improvements. For the sake ot the town, it would be a good thing if the sections could be made freehold. It was generally admitted by the tenants that it would be advisable to give the freehold. It would be satisfactory to get full valuation for improvements at the end of, say, 21 years, but the inclination on the part of tenants was to purchase. |

James Mai-tin, agent, Lumsden. said he leased three quarter-acre town sections from the School Commissioners. It v.as tho general feeling of tenants to have the freehold of their sections. One did net care about putting improvements on the leasehold, though "he must say the present agent (Mr J. L. M'Donald) gave fair va'uation for improvements at the end of the first term. It would be more satisfactory to have the sections placed under the administration of the Land Board. Substantial valuation ought to bo given for improvements. The town was not likley to progress unless there was closer settlement. The sections about the town on which ragwort was growingwere the property of the School Commissioners. Many years ago a large number of town sections were sold at speculative prices. Some that had brought £50 or £60 were not worth £20 to-day. His experience of the town in the last 27 years was . that it had gone back. He -would not advocate the sale of re-serves set apart as education endowments.

Donald Fraser, recalled. ?aid that a block of 2000 acres near Lua^den. held by tho Agricultural Company, was leased by Mr Richard Yardley. who was, h© understood, about to give it up. It was land that could be acquired by ths Government at a reasonable figure, and it would be a good thing for the district if it was to buy it and cut it up inio 20 ascikais of 100 acres each. The sections could "be used for agricultural purposes, and portion of the back country for raising sheep and cattle. It was land that was suitable lor dairying-.

The- Chairman 6&M fche commission could do nothing in the matter, but h© would take a note of Mr Fraser's suggestion, and make a representation to the- proper charter.

ot think

In reply to questions, witness said he did lot think Lumsden wos going back. He elieved that in the ]ast 10 or 15 years it nad gone forward. The prices given for land 25 years ago weio boom prices. Ho beJiered the 2000 acres he referred to could be bought for 25s per acre. Some of it would grow wheat. The sections', ought to be sold outright to tho=e who took them up. If a man had 100 acre-s of this land and the right to take up 503 or 600 acres of back country he ought to be able to make a good living. If the freehold of the sections could not be given, the lease in perpetuity would be next be-t. Lars Peter Ohlsen, farmer. Nokomai, said he was a strong believer in the freehold. He had a freehold and a lease* in perpetuity section bought from another man. A man who worked his own property had more he-art to work it than if he held it on lea-&. ' Ernest M'Donald, Athol, sa ; d he held a pastoral lease of 4800 acres, also a lease in perpetuity of 293 acre* of grazing land. His total rent was £23. The land carried 1200 , crossbred sheep. He considered pastoral i leaseholders wit-'i areas under 5000 acres J should have special terms in the matter of I valuation for improvements at the end of ] their lease, as compared with large runho'der^. His land was very rough winter country, and he was not allowed to crop to j provide winter feed. William Henry Gibson, a small runholde^, at Athol, said he held 890 acres unc3?r pas- ' toral leass, paying an annual rental of £16. The land carried only 300 shr-ep. Although much of the grou.id could be cultivated, t;v« was not allowed to cultivate under his lease.

James Paterson, manager of the New Zealand Agricultural Company's Waim&a Estate, said the company had no leasehold land from t'->e Government r.ow. Lntely they had 70,000 ncr^s of Government lane?, but the leases had rim out. They had been taken out by othors. The company was practically clearing out. which was the roa-son leases were not taken up at>f.in. The agricultural land belonging to the company was being gradually sold. An arpa of 30,000 acre? of freehold land was still in the hands of the enmpanv. About 130.000 acres had been sold. It was land that was suitable for small settlement. It had been offered to the Government for settlement.

John Morgan Price, farmer, Athol. said ho hfld 7000 acies freehold and 900 acres under pastoral lea 5-©5 -© from the Government for I* .years. He had be&n in the d "strict for 40 years. The rabbits were not so bad as they 'were 20 years ago. There were about 4000 sheep and 100 cattle on his land. He had nothing to bring before the commission, but clerired to say he was in favour of the freehold.

Samuel Soper, farmer. Athol. i-aid he held 503 acres under lease in perpetuity, ohotit 200 acres of which was suitable for cropping He would like to make his property freehold, and if he had a olianoo he would do <o. He was not willing that his lease should be put uji to auction provided l.is improvements were protected He would rathe-r hold on to his lease than allow it to go to aucticn. He went to the Advances to Settlers Office for a loan, and asked for an advance on his house an<s stable, but his request was refused. The Government officer's valuation was £100. &nd witness's own estimate was £250. He tubsequently borrowed privately at 6 per cent. If he had had a freehold section be rould have got the money at 5 per cent. The commission ]eft by the afternoon train for Kincrston and wili meet in Queenstown te-morrow to hear evidence