The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1908. GRAZING. RUNS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2320, 13 October 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1908. GRAZING. RUNS.

Another stago of the local grazing runs farce was reached yesterday, when the Hawke’s Bay Land Board sitting in Gisborne, again considered the position of two of tlio present lessees, Messrs J. A. Caesar and R. J. Black. In connection with Il<o former it was decided to offer Mr Caesar part of his run back and to recommend that the other portion bo offered for public selection. Whilst on this point it may be mentioned that Mr Caesar’s run is adjacent to that in respect of which a renewal lias just been granted to Mr Fred Hall. Tho character of tlio country is very similar and it can be.definitely st itod that if Mr Hall’s land was unsuitable for sub-division, then that of Mr Caesar .was equally unsuitable. It mustyiiot, however, bo overlooked that one of the 'applications for renewal came from ail Oppositionist and Jljo othor from a prominent Government supporter. Coming to the position of Mr Black’s run wo find that the Land Board has reverted to its original decision, and recommends that 900 acres be offered to the present lessee for renewal, tho balance to bo sub-divided and offered to fresh settlers- - This was the recommendation of the then Crown Lands Ranger, whose report left Mr Black with only 900 acres out of over 4000 and the portion it is proposed he should retain is tho most barren and inaccessible on the whole of the run. These facts were pointed out to the Board by Mr Black, and that body camo to tlio conclusion a few meetings ago that in equity and justice the whole of the run should be returned to the present tenant. Now, that decision which was formally communicated to Mr Black, is to bo reversed, as the result of instructions froyi "Wellington. Here again we find that direct Ministerial influence has been used to upset, a decision which, would have benefitted an Opposition supporter. Verily, the- Government is using its power ruthlessly and unashamed. Evidently the time for subterfuge has gone and the Government apparently feels itself sufficiently entrenched behind the ramparts of political patronage to openly visit its punishment upon opponents and bestow its rewards upon supporters. The matter of which wo write has already been ventilated in Parliament and a distinct promise was nude that all papers referring to these grazing runs should be laid on tlio table of the House. How lias this promise been kept? Nothing was done for a fortnight, and then in the dying hours of the session, when it- was utterly impossible to direct attention to the matters involved, some correspondence was laid on tho table. By delaying tho production of tlio letters in this way, the Minister practically insured himself and his Department- from any criticism that might otherwise have ensued. • Not only that, but tlio correspondence which wo print elsewhere does not touch the vital issue at stake. AVI) at the public wanted to know was how..it camo about that Mr. Fred. Hall, a Government supporter, got his ■runjjack while Messrs Black and Caesar, Oppositionists, could not get theirs, but the correspondence produced, says not a word concerning Mr. Hall’s run. It is assumed by our AVollington correspondent that Air. Herries, in asking for flic return, made the mistake of designating Air. Hall’s run as 42a instead of 42 1 , but to keep back the desired facts under such a pretenc© would surely bo unworthy of the Minister or liis Department. In tho House the principal point in tlio discussion was the renewal of Air. Hall’s leas©, and tlio Alinister agreed to prSduce the correspondence that liad taken place thereon. This has not been done, and the natural result—-whether justified or not, only time will tell —is that tho public will come to the conclusion that, tiler© has been some shady work going on somewhere. So that tho position may ho thoroughly understood at may be as well to re-state the caso so far as concerns the block leased by Mr. Hall. In this case the Crown Lands Ranger recommended that the run should be sub-divided and the Board concurred with the recommendation, which was accordingly sent to AVollington. In face of this the Alinister failed to have the ' run sub-divided, but instead notified Air. Hall, without further communicating with the Land Board, that he could have the whole of his run back, and Air. Hall has, in fact, retained the whole block. Air. AlcNab informed the House that he acted according to the recommendation of the Land Board. Now, it is obvious from the foregoing that ho did mot so 'act, and the Alinister of Lands convicts himself either of telling a deliberate falsehood or else of inexcusable ignorance of actions taken by officials under him. AVe do not for a moment consider Air. McNab capable of tolling 'a deliberate untruth, but there must bo an explanation of the apparent contradiction somewhere; and it is ridiculous to suppose that the Alinister was not aware or the explanation that could have been made. If he was thus cognisant it was his duty t<> tell the House frankly there and then how matters stood. Instead of doing so he made a statement which he must have known did not cover all the essential facts and subsequently made a promise which he has failed to keep. High-handed action of this sort is likely to defeat its own ends and we shall bo quite prepared to find that- the public will.mark its disapproval in a. way that will bring sharply beforo the Government the fact that even in New, Zealand autocracy may be carried a trifle too far.