DEPUTATIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2576, 10 August 1909, Page 2

DEPUTATIONS.

i. ■ —— TO AIR, W. D. S. MACDONALD, AI.P. During ySTerday afternoon Alessrs E. O’Sullivan* and O. Hindrun, on behalf ■of the settlers at Kanakanae, waited upon Mr. AY. D. S. AlacDonald and Messrs Alorgan, Darton, and AlcLeod to request that a school be opened for the children in their district. Air. O’Sullivan pointed out that about 15 scholars would attend the school, and there would be an average attendance of 10 or 12 scholars. Air. Alorgan said that the Education Board had applied to the Alinister for Education for a grant for the school, but as yet had received no reply. The Board was prepared, even without the grant, to appoint a teacher if the settlers would provide a temporary building, and guarantee the teacher’s salary up to £9O per year. The capitation allowance, Air. Alorgan pointed out, was £6 ]>er head for such a school, and with an average attendance of 12 scholars, that would make the teacher’s , salary only £72. Tho settlers would therefore have to guarantee the difference ujJ to £9O, as it was" very improbable if a teacher could be engaged for such an out-of-the-way district for less. Air. O’Sullivan said he could not make any promise as to a guarantee of salary, but he would place the position before the settlers. Mr. MacDonald said that tho people of Kanakanae could rest assured that he would use every endeavor to get the Alinister for Education to make a grant for the school, and the Hawke’s Bay Land Board to grant the site. Air. O’Sullivan also asked Air. AlaeDonald to use his influence to get the land held by tho settlers revalued for taxation purposes. The speaker pointed out that the land held by the settlers was valued at £9 10s per acre, while better land held as small grazing run leases was only vahied at £5. The settlers felt that unfair values had been put upon their properties, and desired a re-valuation. Air. AlacDonald expressed himself as in sympathy with, the request, and said that, as compared with the grazing rim leases, the values were too high, as the settlers were so burdened with rates that they could not afford to raise any special loans for road-making purposes. In his opinion, the system of valuing grazing run leases was unfair to other property holders in counties, and he hoped that during tho approaching session of Parliament tho system would be altered. He would use what influence he could to have the settlers’ land revalued without any charge being levied for the valuer’s services. The Rev. W. H. Roberts pointed out to Air. AlacDonald the need, for a public cemetery in tho Karaka district, and asked that he try and get a piece of land reserved somewhere near Tc Karaka for that purpose. Air. Spence said that Air. Mahaki Brown some years ago had offered to give a piece of land near the old fortifications on the Waihuka river for the purposes of a cemetery. The site was an old Alaori burial ground, and was sacred to the Natives on that account, and probably Air. Brown might renew the offer. Air. AlacDonald admitted that there was a need for a cemetery in tho district, and expressed the opinion that it would not be difficult to obtain a site suitable for a cemetery. He promised Mr. Roberts to do all he could to get a piece of land reserved for the purpose.