Rangitikei Advocate. THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8796, 25 April 1907, Page 2

Rangitikei Advocate. THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES.

TO-NIGHT a meeting will be held in tho Marton Borough Council Chambers at 7.30 sharp to consider the disposal of the fund raised locally for a Seddon Memorial Scholarship. It may be 'well to rein'a.! our roaclors of tho origin of the fund. Shortly after the death of Mr Seddon a suggestion was made by Mr J. J. Macdonald, Chairman of Marton School Committee, that a sum of £IOOO should be raised as a scholarship fund for children resident in the Wanganni Education district. It was thought probablo that Government would subsidise the amount collected with an equal sum, and that therefore an annual income of about £BO would bo available for scholarships. Tiie Education' Board approved the scheme, but delayed to take any action, and though ultimately the Board made suggestions as to the amount to bo collected by each School Committee, there was little enthusiasm shown except in Marton, where Mr McDonald collected nearly £4O without any difficulty. Recently the Board announced that the scheme was to be dropped, and the question thorefore arises as to how the money raised should be employed. A proposal will be made to-night that subscribers should permit the money to be used for building an additional room at the Marton Techhcal School, now being erected, for the use of the commercial classes. Wo do not think that subscribers will have any objection to the diversion of the funds to such a .purpose, especially when the position is put before them. The educational authorities that additional room is required to ..make the now Technical School a success, and it can obviously be added at much less expense, while the main structure is still unfinished. The Technical School Committee has been informed that if £6O can be raised Government will be responsible for the balance of the amount necessary for the erection of the room. Provided the transfer from the Seddon fund is approved, £4O of the amount required will be i in hand. Marton Borough Council lias contributed £lO, so that only £lO i would remain unprovided. It is :

essential that there should lis 110

delay and that the money should be 'in hand by the end of the present ■week, so as to got the, requisite

' formalities put through, timbor arranged for, etc. We feel suro that tfefl residents of the district will

' have :no hesitation, in subscribing £lO for sncli a good purpose as that now' put before them, and would;, merely remind them that "he gives twice who gives quickly."

THE Dunedin Star apparently feels that the Minister < f Lauds needs a littlo encouragement i:i his thankless task of converting the country settlers to ' his views, aud therefore writes as follows:—"It is uot surprising that the Minister of Lauds was gratified by the fact that no less than 946 people applied last week for the sections opened in the Blackstone, Home Hills, and Lauder Runs in Central Otago. Mr J. J. Ramsay, in* congratulating the Minister, observed that the number of applications furnished a '' striking commentary on the Opposition cry of the people being afraid of leaseholds.'. Mr Ramsay has been gravely reproved for passing such a reflection upon the monopolistic party, but lie is not likely to be greatly perturbed by these casuistical remonstrances, aud we have no hesitation in saying that his conclusion was substantially just. The Opposition have, iu reality,. represented agriculturists as being afraid of the leasehold and passionately desirous of the freohold, and the ballot at Naseby affords welcome evict sneo in a contrary direction." It is well known that many peope desire to acquire land, and also that many more desire to share the possible profit resulting from a lucky draw in the Government land lottery, but to suppose that the T Naseby ballot offers the slightest evidence of support to Mr McNab's Land Bill is a mere delusion. If people cannot get freehold laud they have to take the leasehold, but we have uo doubt that everyone concerned at Naseby would have preferred the freehold to the 999 years' lease which they acquire.!, and the 999 years' lease to Mr :,I-;Nab's proposed 06 years' lease. As an example of how to conduct land settlement ou good lines, we may refer to the recent sale of 'the estate of the late Mr Purves Russell near Martinborcngh. Government had shown some signs of wishing to acquire the Whangaimoana estate for closer settlement, but when it came into the hands of the Public Trustee that official lost no time in cutting it up and offering it for sale by auction. The upset price set on the whole of the sections amounted to £73,000 aud the amount realised was £IOI,OOO. We are informed also that several buyers have received offers for their purchases of greater prices still. If the Government- would adopt the method taken by the Public Trustee there would be no need to borrow millions for land settlement. A capital of £300,000 would enable land to bo bought aud cut up for settlement as required, aud would avoid the necessity of adding to our alroadv enormous liabilities.