SUB-DIVISION

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14327, 18 October 1910, Page 5

SUB-DIVISION

OF MACKENZIE RUNS. PRIME MINISTER'S VIEWS. CONTINUITY OK TENURE. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 17. Interviewed on his return from the Mackenzie Country the Prime Minister explained that reports of official and unofficial Commissioners were before the Lands Committee of the House, which had also taken evidence, and when the committee submitted their report the whole question would be dealt with by the Government. With regard to details of the respective runs iie must be largely guided by the expert advice obtained. He acknowledged the necessity of having a proper proportion of winter country to enable runs to be profitably worked by those who possessed or took them up. From liis personal observations he would be in a better position to consider the evidence that had been put before the Lands Committee. He would not at the present moment say what the position would be, but he was quite satisfied on one point, and that was that reasonable continuity of tenure must he given to those who are owners or who take up country comprised in the Mackenzie Country pastoral runs. Ho hoped to see them placed on a different basis than has hitherto been tlie case. The whole of the land was poor and for all time it would carry few sheep to the acre. From the situation of the country and tlie winters experienced, though he considered that the size of the runs could be reduced, he thought it would be a mistake to reduce them to too small an area. Tlie new areas should be -lufficient to enable holders to make more than n living from them, as in such a locality they made n god deal of sacrifice in living there and devoting themselves to the proper working of the rims. _He hoped that during the next fortnight h<= would he nhle to inform Parliament that the whole question had been considered by Cabinet and what course the Government pnoposed to adopt in dealing -with these pastoral rung.