THE POMAHAKA VALUATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 17

THE POMAHAKA VALUATIONS.

OFFICIAL REPORTS CHALLENGED. TAPANUI, March 24. At the meeting of the Land Commission at Clinton on Thursday, while Mr Donald Macgregor, a settler on the Pomahaka Estate, was under examination, some reference was made to the quality of the land and to the valuations placed upon it. The following is a full report of the discussion, vrhich is likely to be revived in Dunedin: — Air M'Cardle: Could Pomahaka, as far as your experience goes, be reduced sufficiently in rent so that you could make a Sair living out of the 247 acres 30U now hold? No. I do not think a decent living could be made out of 250 acres of land at pemahaka. Suppose the Government were prepared to ]

do ar -certain amount of draining and to expend "'"a. o&rtain amount on liming the land, do 'you think that would be of considerable assistance to the settlers? — Yes. But you think the area is too small? — Yes. Have you been able to^ maintain yourself from the land and its products? — No. You have had to take employment outside?— Yes. - . ' . And you consider your position ?« hopeless of success? — Yes; I have no desire to continue there. If the rents were reduced 30 per cent, and the holdings increased to 500 or 600 acres, do you think you could succeed? — Generally speaking, I think the settlers would be successful if the rent were 2s an acre and the area increased to 500 or 600 acres, in that case the set-tiers might do something, but they would not make a fortune. What is the carrying capacity of th© land without improvements? — About one sheep to five acres. What are you able to carry? I saw a large quantity of turnips in proportion to the area of the farm. What number of sheep are you able to carry now? — Under 150. ' Mr Paul : You. have had a very unpleasant experience at Pomahaka? — Yes. Have you formed any opinion as to the principle of revaluation of leaseholds? — Yes. Do you approve of that principle being applied to these leases? In your case it appears you are paying too much rent, and in another case it might be found that the settler is paying too little. — Yes. Under a revaluation olausa such as existed under the old perpetual lease 3'our rent would be reduced and your neighbour's rent would be increased. Do you think that is sound in principle? — I think the settler is entitled to the unearned increment. I do not see why revaluation should take place during a fixed lease. I took up that land 11 years ago, and if it had been at a fair rental and if the land had increased in value, I do not see why the Government should revalue the land. After all, the work I have put into the place 1 would be entitled to the increased value. In the case of detriment, as in your case, don't you think you are entitled to a reduction of rent? — It is in the interests of the State to reduce the rent if the State finds a great difficulty in getting a settler to go on the land. Don't you think that in the other ease it is equally just that the rent should be increased? — Although I would accept revaluation at the present time, I do not think it should appl" retrospectively to "the lease. It would only apply from the present onward. If it was fair to revalue land that had been undervalued originally, it would be equally fair to make the reduotion retrospective to those who had paid too muoh from the beginning. The Government would not entertain any idea of making the reduction on Pomahaka retrospective. If a settler got his place at a fair rental, and it had increased in value in 10 or 12 years, I do not think it is fair to revalue it. Mr Forbes: On an average, what would the land cany when ploughed and grassed? — I have about 150 sheep on 250 acres. Didn't the Government grow a crop of turnips on your land to show you how it was to be done? — Yes. What was the result? — I could not say. Were you there at the time? — Yes. Did they have a good crop? — A wry fair crop, but it did not pay them. I know that, because I worked on the land for a considerable part of the time during which they made the experiment. I knew what it cost them to put in the crop. I do not think it paid them more than th<e'w labour. They ploughed the land and left it in fajjow for over 12 months, and some of it they ■p'ouigfoed ae:ain. They also manured it. I am sure the expenses amounted to about £1 an acre. What they got for the turnips I do not know, but I do not think it was a profitable crop. A settler would have been out of pocket by it. Turnips do not pay the first season. You do not think the Government made a very great success of the turnip-growing? — Not financially. Did they sow the land down in grass after taking off the turnips? — No. You never heard of what they thought of their experiment? Do you know if they thought you were paying too much rent? — The official reports for years pasb had praised up the estate. Some of the official reports have come into my hands. They were sent to m.a from. Wellington, but they were not correct in one detail. There are two valuations af- Pomahaka, and this iq a great objection. There is a quotation valuation. &. T y \aluation is probably 30s an acre, but if I wero to leave the valuer would come round and reduce the amount by 50 per cent. If the land remains unoccupied for a time the improveanents are cut down in value until they disappear altogether. That has prevented tlie settlers having' any

heart in improving the land. When a settler is more anxious to leave a settlement than he is to remain, I think he virtually ceases to be a bona fide settler ; and that is how I would represent the settlers at Pomahaka at the present time. I do not know any of them who arc not very anxious to get away from their holdings. Mr D. Barron, Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands, Otago district, maintained that the official reports were strictly accurate.

Witness said he would send the commissioner^.a copy of the official report issued some years, ago, in which h& could point out inaceura'oies. He also said that, as far as Mr Barron was concerned, he was a most conscientious officer, and very lenient, reasonable, and approachable in every way. He would like to add. in regard to education, that Mr Barron had been very good in working hand-in-hand with the Education Board in giving facilities for the education of the children in the district. It would not be passible to find a better officer in Christendom than Mr Barron.

This statement was received with very hearty applause from the large gathering of Pomahaka settlers in the room.