THE LAND COMMISSION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8309, 6 May 1905, Page 5

THE LAND COMMISSION.

[From Ot;r Coub.es_ond_n_.l WAIPU, May 6. The Land Commission reached Maungaturoto on Friday afternoon, and held a meeting in the publio hall. A large number of settlers attended. ■ 11. C. Smith, a settler and a member of the Otamatea County Council, strongly advocated that all Crown lands should be thrown open under optional ■■ tenure. He believed in freehold tenure, and thought that the reason why the Bickerstaffe Estate was going off so slowly was because it was offered only under lease-in-perpetuity. He did not think there was, any security under the lease in perpetuity, owing to the agitation of the Trades and Labour Councils . for revaluation. He * was m strongly of opinion that Land Boards should be elective. j Charles J_. Fisher, a Crown tenant 1 ou the Bickerstaffe Estate, said that he was thoroughly satisfied with his section and rent, but would like the right to acquire the freehold at the original valuation. All the other tenants- he had spoken to expressed the same wish. His dealing with the Land Board had been satisfactory. He thought the rear son why the whole of the Bickerstaffe Estate had not been taken up was mainly because the land was not offered under the optional system. ; Daniel G.. Peebles, a settler on the Bickerstaffe Estate, said that he was satisfied with his section, but thought the ,rent was rather high. "He wanted the right of purchase at the original valuation. William Heathoote Jackman, a freehol_ settler and also a Crown tenant on the Bickerstaffe Estate, -said he thought that, in the interest of the State, the lease-in-perpetuity should be amended to ' give the option of purchase. He was satisfied that the Bickerstaffe Estate would have been completely taken up if the land had been thrown open for selection under the optional system. He was satisfied with the Land Board. Evidence to this effect was given by James Anderson, Frank B. Winser, T. Myers, J. Dalrymple, R. Haines and D. C. Stelling, all Crown tenants on the Bickerstaffe Estate. "William Bailey, secretary of the Maungatuxoto Butter Factory, said that, owing to the sale of freehold land in the district' prior to the opening of the Bickerstaffe Estate, the demand for land had been to a great extent satisfied, and that accounted for the Bickerstaffe sections not being taken up. He favoured the leasehold tenure with periodical revaluation. This mining the Commission left by coach for Whangarei.