LAND FOR SETTLEMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2968, 7 May 1896, Page 4

LAND FOR SETTLEMENT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Having acted in the capacity of reporter to the Oamaru papers and Press Association Agency during the late conference of the Workers’ Union held at Oamaru, I inadvertently omitted to supply the press with the following matter, which I consider to be of interest to workers and others in the Temuka and Geraldine districts; —“ After the public meeting, at which the Hon. Hall Jones delivered an address on labor and politics, the Minister, myself, and a few others spent an hour or more at the place where I was staying, and during that time Mr E. Murphy, who is well known in connection with the Workers’ Union at Geraldine, tackled the Minister for Public Works on the necessity of acquiring laud for settlement in the Temuka and Geraldiue districts. He mentioned that both Messrs Flatman aud Maalin repeatedly had urged the Government to make a move in this matter, but for reasons beat known to the Cabinet this had not been attended to, aud it was to the best interests of the community that land should be acquired, aud the people settled upon it. After a long discussion, during which various means for acquiring laud in the Temuka and Geraldine districts had been pointed out, in replyiug to the foregoing matter, the Minister stated that he had been of the opinion that so much had not been doue iu thisjdirection by the Ministry as might have been done, but the Minister for Lauds had allowed him to peruse all his papers, and he had found that the Minster was not to blame for not having taken land about the Temuka district. There had been several difficulties in the way, more particularly iu respect to price, aud as under the Act the Government in taking land compulsorily could be forced to take the whole of an estate, the Minister had not felt justifiedin exercising the power of taking land compulsorily. However, he (Mr Hall Jones) believed that before long laud would be obtained in the Temuka district, as suggested by Mr Murphy, through the Hank Assets Realisation Board, which had some properties iu the district suitable for closer settlement. Anyhow, he would bring this matter before his colleagues on returning to Wellington.” With a hope that yon will insert the foregoing in your journal for the information of all concerned, I am, etc., 1 J. O’Brien, General Secretary N.Z. Workers’ Union