KAWHIA NEWS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 79, Issue 7138, 28 November 1949, Page 7

KAWHIA NEWS

(Continued From Page 6)

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

Compulsory Purchase “ My assurance has been given that no land other than that required for ex-servicemen will be taken under the compulsory clauses of the Act. A total of only 92 properties has been taken so far; and I confidently expect that within two years we will have settled all ex-servicemen graded,’ said the Minister of Lands, Hon. C. F. Skinner, in the course of an address at Te Kuiti. He pointed out at the same time that the Returned Services Association had played a very big part in establishing the principles of the Land Sales Act. Freehold Not Objectionable A straight answer of “ Yes, I have,” was given by the Hon. C. F. Skinner to a question asked him at a meeting at Te Kuiti if he had ever opposed the granting of the freehold of lands. He had believed that a perpetual lease gave the perfect tenure, but when 89 per cent of the men being rehabilitated asked for the freehold he had bowed to the will of the majority and made the freehold to greater degree than had any previous Government. The policy was that any land which could be permanently farmed could be secured on the freehold. Actually Labour legislation had overcome the objections he had held against the freehold—-the aggregation and speculation 'which it had meant in the days gone by were np longei possible.

Undemocratic Poll In view of what was held to be an undemocratic result of the recent licensing poll in the King Country, Mr C. Brenton-Rule asked Mir A- H. Macpherson, National Party candidate for Waimarino at his Taumarunui meeting his views and those of his party on steps considered necessary to ensure a democratic vote on the matter. The questioner had given him a poser, replied Mr Macpherson. King Country licensing was a local matter which would have to be considered. He felt that the first essential would be to have a proper referendum, with Maori and European voting counted together on a fifty-fifty basis.

Car Imports Speaking on the question of motor vehicles at Manunui, the Labour candidate for W|aimarino, M-r Kearins, said that the shortage of new motor vehicles was not the fault of the Government. Some 49,490 vehicles were authorised to be imported during the year ended 31st March, 1948, but only two-thirds of that number were landed. A total of 35,400 licences was issued for importing motor cars and trucks from the sterling area, but the motor trade could, bring in only 22,636 vehicles. The reason was that England would supply only those surplus to the requirements of the dollar area. For importation from the dollar area the New Zealand Government had been granted 11,190 licenses, but only 7293 were used. Pork, Not Trout

Roast pork, not fleshy trout, figured on the menu of two Hamilton anglers last week. The trout were not very responsive on Arapiini lake and a diversion occurred when the fishermen observed an unusual slashing in the water. Closer investigation showed that two wild pigs, probably chased into the lake by. dogs, were swimming about 300 yards from the shore. The fishermen downed rods, stuck the pigs and towed them to land.