WANT THE FREEHOLD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1321, 27 December 1911, Page 5

WANT THE FREEHOLD.

TE KTJITI SETTLERS MEAN BUSINESS.

(Kj TolceraDU.-Press Association.) Auckland,. December Sβ. At the committee meeting of the To ftuiti Chamber of Commerce- lust week tbe question of persons who had applied to the Maori Land Board for the freehold of their sections in Tu JCuifi and district, aud who had been refused, was discussed. The- chairman suid ho did not seo why they should not bo ablo to get tho freehold on a fair basis. The town was growing in value every day. Jle fiuotod the Mokaii-Mohnkatino block, which was valued at .CoO.OOU, and secured for JJ20.000 by reason of the fact that there wero thirty years' lease to run, and he failed to seo why a similar proposition could not bo applied to Te Kuiti. Instances were given where Natives wlio had farms wanted to sell their town interests in order that they might inveit their money in their farms, but wero not allowed by the board to transact the sale. It was resolved to communicate with tho Borough Council and ask them to framo n resolution in connection with the matter, and to ask them to co-oper-ate with the Chamber. It was also decided to forward tho facts to both the Primo Minister and Mr. Jlassoy, aud to ask them to do tiomolhiui; in tho mutter. It was further decided that both leaders should ba informed that Uio peoplo inoaut business, and that no &10110 would be left unturned to obtain thu object.