I.—4b.

cost. And there is another class—a most undesirable one—who take up land with the idea of cropping it and leaving it in an impoverished condition. The Commissioners thought that to let to these people was very undesirable. 337. Hon. Mr. Bolleston.] I should like to say, Sir, that a man can only say from experience that such was the case ?—I have heard men express these opinions myself. 338. You determined that freehold was the only way of dealing with these lands, notwithstanding that the Legislature had determined upon another way of dealing with the lands?—We were charged with the administration of that land in the interest of education and of settlement, and our opinion was that perpetual leasing would not be conducive to trie revenue of the trust, and would not help settlement. 339. And do you consider you were entitled to use your opinion independently of the Land Act ? —Well, the Act under which we were working gave us the power to recommend how these reserves should be disposed of.

By Authority: Geoege Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBBs.

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