PROPOSED MODEL SUBURB.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1485, 6 July 1912, Page 11

PROPOSED MODEL SUBURB.

AN OBJECTING PETITION. The Orakei Model Suburb Empowering Act of 1912 is on view in the Auckland Magistrate's Court. Tho City Council'has caused this to bo framed so as to secure tho transfers of tho Orakei Native Reservo in the interests of tho people of Auckland, and the hying out of an attractive residential suburb. The area of tho ground in question is about CSO acres, and owing to its healthful and general conditions affords an excellent site for an example of towu-nlnnning.' The proposed Hill simply seeks the usual legislative authority to .secure this section of land in Hie interests of the community. Within three months of the Bill being passed tho Valuer-General must determine the actual value, and tho personal charges involved, and within 18 months of passing the City Ccuncil must tnko a poll of tho electors on tlie question. If tho majority are against, there will be no purchase, but if in favour then tho purchase will go through. The council will also have powers to borrow money for the development of tho proposed model suburb, but in the meantime the, council is empowered to spend tho money necessary for preliminary surveying and incidental expenses. An objecting petition is to bo presented to the Nativo Affairs Committee at Wellington next week, and for that purpose a party of half a dozen owners, headed by Oteno Paora, will go down from Auckland. The petitioners say that their grandfather Uruanio built the first pa on the lands in fjuestion, and* mado peace with.the Ngati Paoa tribe, and that his ltinna was recognised by the Court when, granting recognition of the.claims of tho tribo (the Ngati Whatua). They contend that the Orakei Native Reserve Commission of 1908' reported that this was communal land, awl meant to be preserved as a dwelling-place for the remnant of tho (ribe. It is pointed onfc that under tbo terms of the Crown grant, the land (722 acres) is inalienable other than by lease for terms not exceeding 42 years, and that the fee simple is meant to remain vested in the Maori owners. In 1898 tho Native Land Court divided and awarded tho block to 13 male owners, but the petitioners allege- that these were' only representatives appointed for tho tribo as a whole. They now ask that the question of ownership bo reopened, and that every surviving member of the tribe bo given a share in tho land. They object to the alienation of any land, either to the City Council or to European applicants. ■