HOROWHENUA LAKE'S FUTURE

Chronicle (Levin), 21 May 1947, Page 4

HOROWHENUA LAKE'S FUTURE

MAYOR REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN NEGOTIATIONS ' A'h interview he had recently had .with a representative of the Muaupoko tribe, authorised to jpeak on its behalf in the matter of the futufe bf Lake HdrdWhehua, was detdiied by the M.ayor, Mr. H.B. Burdekin, at Mohda-y night's meeting of the Levin BdroUgh fcJOUncil. - Mr. Burdekin said the pbsitidh Was that the Minister for NatiVe Affaifs wo'iild ljke the bdUnbil to Mke actidii td have the Lake Liomaih Board reconstitutfedj sd hat Sofiie of ihe hiattefs hertdinrig to tlie lake doiild bb ihqtiited ihto: The representative qf the* Mua-iipdko tfibfe hSd sUggested that the Bo'ard be - reconstitiited with a'h ehUal fiumbei: df MUori ffld Euto^eutt ( rtierhbers, , perhaps '.hree -oi each, and in additioii a chairiii^il, WHo wb'Uld heed to be hiiy vefsed ih native ^ffaits, Bos--sibly a jiid§e 0f the Native Land dburt. Such a chdirmtln, said thd MayOr, w.ould be in a position tecide the disposal of any revenue dferived fi*oih the lake in accdirdaiice with Maori custdhis and lineal , rites. Siibh gL hrdBosal Wouid .be dcc.ehtahie td ■ the tribe. . Cr. F. E. Parker expiressed the" view that it might be prefefdbie that the chairmari be a stlbenaiary rhagistr(ate. fre cduld dhly get the lake back to Whai it Was 4ti years ago we wouid Iiave riiade some progressj" he addecl. Cr. D. J. Gatdiiier Was of the opinidh that if the chairma'ii was a jUdge of the Native Land Court the board wpuld rsceive the codperation of the Maori owhers., The Mayor said that froni whau the representative df the Muaupokd tribe ■ had tdid him, the

Maoris had:a very ambitibtis pian fof the lake a'nd its environs, and one which would be of great adVantage to the town and district. They desired tb bperi it up other than as a bird sanctuary and lease certairi parts rbiiild .it fof shooting, using part of .the" reVenue derived therefrom to be'autify the lake and iiiakfe it soinething worthwhile in time to ccfme. Another thhig was the grazing rights of the land down to the watbr's edge, the fevenue frbm which they had lost despite Ihe fact that > adjoining la'ndoWners still used it. After further diseussion it was left to the Mayor to disciiSfc the siibject with the interested departniehtal authorities.