A MINISTER IMPEACHED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9662, 10 February 1903, Page 4

A MINISTER IMPEACHED.

An interesting little political "scandal" is being investigated m Victoria just iwv involving the administration of the Lands Department, The bare facts have already been cabled from Melbourne. On.' January 27, when the Legislative Assembly met, the Hon. M. K. McKenzie, the Minister of Lands, was accused by Mr Pivndergast, the member for Anglesey, of using liis official position to obtain- a, Crown Je-use at a low rental, and then sub-letthig the land at an enormous advance. Mr Prendwrgost said that it was slibwu m the Gazette that Mi- K. McKenzie had taken, up for tlie purpose of grazing stock 7300 acres m the Darling/ford district. His total payments amounted to £6 ss. On examining the .records of the Lands Department, he .found tliat alongside this 7300 acres 14,000 acres were held under grazing license by the same gentleman. Tine total payments for the 21,300 acres made to the State amounted to something like £25. It was specifically stated tlwit £6 was paid for 7300 acres, and the balance for the remaining area. It was commonly known, but very difficult to prove, though lie believed there would be no hesitation in -acknowledging the truth of tlie fact, that these two areas had been sub-let for something like £1000 by the Minister. Moreover, continued Mr Prendergast, the Minister actually liad his stock running on. two other areas m the district, held m the names of other individuals. This action, the member continued, was especially blameworthy at a time when pastoralists all over Victoria were crying out for grazing land. Mr McKenzie, of course, did not let the accusations pa-ss without reply. He had held two blocks m the district, he said, for many ye«rs, and had paid £56 a year on them, and so far he had lost some £3000 on them. The 7300-acre block adjoined them. It was remote from the droughitstricken districts, the dividing-fences were broken down, and his sheep already ran over it. In the circumstances, his only course was to lease it with the others. On' the sub-letting charge, the Minister simply pleaded that lie had followed a recognised practice. As to the charge nf dummyism, he admitted acquiring land m another man's name, urging that he had adopted that course because an application m his own name "might have influenced t/he Departmental officers." A committee was subsequently set up to investigate the charges, Mr McKenzie, meanwhile, leaving his resignation m the Premier's hands.