34

I.—sb.

T. GEE.

6. Do you think that section would be of any use for bee-farming?—No, no use. 7. Is it rough land? —About half is hillside, 7 or 8 chains from the sea. I should not say that along the seashore is a place to keep bees. 8. What shape is the section? —It is a long section of about 20 chains, and irregular. I do not think the section for settlement is of very much value. 9. Is it a narrow section? —Yes. It is 7 or 8 chains from the seashore, exposed, and about 40 ft. above sea-level. 10. How much of it is level? —About 4£ acres are level. There has been a lot of stones taken off it. 11. The land is not good? —It is valued at the present time at £12 an acre, and I think some of the best land on Cheviot is valued at £35 an acre. 12. Mr. Witty.] Do you know much about bee-farming? —No, but if I were going to select a site for a bee-farm I would not like to go near the seashore, or surrounded by sheep-country. I am only giving my opinion. 13. You are related to Mr. Holton, are you not?— Yes. 14. You are also a member of the Land Board? —Yes. 15. And you are one of the prominent men in the Reform League, are you not?— Yes. 16. What position do you hold in the League? —I am merely a member. 17. Not chairman?— No. 18. Hon. Mr. Massey.] Have you anything to add about the history of this little trouble at Cheviot? Can you tell us anything about how it started?—l do not know anything about how it started. I knew nothing about it until the thing was made public. Mr. Holton never spoke to me about it. The matter was in the hands of the Land Board for some considerable time before I went on to the Board. 19. But as a resident of Cheviot and knowing the people and the section concerned, can you give us any information as to how the trouble started—what led up to it?— Well, the beefarmer, Mr. Rentoul, went down to Gore Bay to live for the summer, and he heard of this section of 8£ acres which was let from year to year. He thought it would be a good place for him to reside, but after living out there for a few months I was told he found it was too far away, and I do not think he has any designs on the section at all. 20. Is that the gentleman who is a chemist?— Yes. 21. Has he got a chemist's business? —He has not got the business. He is farming, but draws the rent from the chemist's shop, and dwellinghouse. 22. Do you know whether he approached Mr. Gibson? —I do not know whether he did or not. 23. Mr. Guthrie.] As a member of the Land Board you would have some experience of dealing with such small sections as these where they have been in the occupation of adjoining settlers? —Yes. 24. Could you tell the Committee what is the usual procedure with regard to them?—Of course, it depends upon whether it is possible to make a living off a section of that sort or whether it is a question merely of residential purposes. 25. In a case where it was only a residential section what is the usual procedure of the Land Board in dealing with it?— They would put it up to auction or under some of the miscellaneous heads. 26. What is the carrying-capacity of Mr. Holton's land?—lt carries about a sheep to the acre, not more. There are about 320 acres, and he carries from 300 to 350 sheep. There is not a living to be made off the place. There is only about 15 acres of flat land on the whole section. 27. What is your opinion of this section added on to his even as Government property? — It gives him 4or 5 acres more of flat land that he could work and plough. Added on to the 15 acres of flat land he has it makes a considerable difference to Mr. Holton. 28. As a practical man would you say there would be anything against allowing Mr. Holton to take that up on lease or in any other way?—No, nothing. 29. You think it would be a good and sensible thing to do?— 1 think it would be a sensible thing to do. As a section to make a living off I think it is a bad proposition. As I stated the other day, in the case of a man who held £750 worth of land, the Land Board quite recently granted him another £650 worth, making £1,500 worth. This section is only worth £100 according to a value made in the last couple of months. Ido not see how it is possible to make a living off £100 worth of land. 30. Mr. Witty.] That depends upon the man's occupation as to where he makes a living?—l take it there are two ways of looking at it —looking at the section from a residential point of view or to expect a man to make a living off the section. 81. But some may go in for poultry or bees? —That may be so. 32. How long have you been on the Land Board? —Since May last. 33. And how long have you been accustomed to the procedure?— Only what I have gathered since I have been there. 34. Mr. R. W. Smith.] In regard to the £1,500 worth of land granted to one man, can you say whether that was a straight grant from the Board to the lessee or merely a transfer? — It was a transfer. The man held £750 worth of land, and he applied for an adjoining section of £650 value. 35. It was really a transfer from one to the other? —Yes. It is all leasehold at Cheviot, there being only a few freeholds there. 36. Mr. Nosworthy.] Do you not think in a great many cases, in outlying districts like Cheviot, that sections are cut up and let which are too small for a man to do himself justice on? —Yes, most decidedly.