GRAZING RUNS.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 865, 15 April 1903, Page 3

GRAZING RUNS.

Replying to the remarks made at the recent meeting of tho Land Board in reference to several holders of grazing runs not fulfilling the conditions under which the land was taken up Mr W. A. Hood writes :

Some eleven years ago I took up one of these runs, the terms being that I had to put improvements on it to the extent of £l2O, and to reside there continuously for six years. I put about £IOO worth of improvements on this land for every £1 I was compelled to put on by the Act, and I resided on the land for eight years, though the nearest post office was 18 miles off, on a pack track that was almost impassible in winter. Subsequently, having married, I made a home for my wife on the flats. I think my conduct as a tenant was such as to entitle me to respectful and courteous treatment from our Land Board. What happens ? A ranger, who I suppose can hardly be expected to be infallible, erroneously reports three of us runholders as defaulters in respect of residence. The Board, Instead of considering this matter in committee, and ascertaining the facts, accepts this statement, and proceeds to call on tho runholders to explain their default. The remarks of at least one member of the Board were grossly discourteous, and the general tendency of the action taken would be to injure the credit of the settlers concerned. What is wanted in this district is a local Land Board. Twenty years ago the land laws were simple, and it was quite easy for a Board covering a whole province to administer them. Since that date the Government, in order to promote settlement, have constantly added stringent conditions, and the fair administration of these conditions requires intimate local knowledge. The Land for Settlements Act, which the Board also administers, with its complicated conditions with respect to cropping and keeping up the improvements, even more requires intimate local knowledge. The fact is the Government is trying to run 20th century legislation with 19th century machinery. No Board with a district of the present size could possibly possess the local knowledge necessary to properly administer the Acts, with the result that settlers are liable to discourteous treatment, publication of statements damaging to their credit, and general arbitrary treatment. Apart from tho persona] interests of the settlers, I venture to say that the administration of the vast and variable public estate in this district demands the attention of a Board with greater local knowledge than can possibly be possessed by the Board under tho present system, and that the interests of this district suffer greatly by the present maladministration.