THE HILL RUNS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13833, 19 February 1909, Page 2

THE HILL RUNS.

Mr. J. Craigie.. M.P., has been making some enquiry into the hill run Question, and acting upon the information he received he yesterday wired to the Premier, (as Minister of Lands) as follows:—"Considerable amount of feeling expressed here that ruus should be divided in smaller holdings. Would it be possible to hold over selling leases till next year when others mature, and have a report by experts whether advisable or not." Mr Craigie says he is anxious to see two blades of grass growing where one grows now, two pounds worth of exports for every one now, and two homes' "through the country for every one there is now; and every opportunity should be taken to work towards these results.

Last night Mr Craigie received the following reply from Sir Joseph Ward, who is at Rotorua: "Your telegram re Canterbury runs to hand. In reply to Christehurch members who also made representations upon the. matter, 1 sent the following:—The provisions of section 180 of The Land Act of 1855, provide that pastoral ruus, if intended to be relet for pastoral purposes, must be offered for new lease at least 12 months before the expiry of the current lease. In this case, as the leases es_ pire at the end of February, 1910, and classification commissioners report runs only suitable for releasing for pastoral purposes, sale on 27th must be held to complay with Act, and the sugges tion to withdraw them, would involve the Government in heavy compensation claims from the present lessees. From this you will see that under the law by wliich the Government is bound, this sale :of runs cannot be held over as suggested, for another year." Mr f. Buxton M.P., for Temuka, has been interesting himself in connection with the reletting of the South Canterbury grazing runs which are to he submitted to auction in Timaru this month, and he has had considerable correspondence with the Premier, as Minister for Lands, on the matter. The last wire which he sent to Sir Joseph Ward, v.-as one suggesting that the runs to be offered this month, should be withdrawn in the meantime, and the leases of them made to fall in with those which will be re-let next year, and that in the meantime a commission of practical men who know the runs .well, should be asked to report upon the possibility of further subdividing them. If it is too late to make any alterations in respect of the runs to be submitted this month, Mr Buxton thinks that the commission should still be appointed to report upon those which will he open for re-letting next year. He mentioned the matter to Sir Joseph on the occasion of -his recent visit to Fairlie, i=nd as a result, a commission was sent to report upon tho South Canterbury runs. The commissioners reported adversely upon the proposal for further sub-divi-sion, but. Mr Buxton thinks that possibly, a commission composed of local men. who know the land, would give a different verdict. He has arrived at this conclusion, not from any practical knowledge of the subject, ■ but from representations which have been made to him. He lias impressed upon the Premier that there is great dissatisfaction in certain quarters concerning the proposed method of re-letting and Sir Joseph has promised that the matter will be carefully gone into, and the best done, under the circumstances.