SUNDAY ISLAND

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3163, 15 August 1917, Page 5

SUNDAY ISLAND

THE OLDEST INHABITANT'S PLEA.

A demand for the possession of. an island in the Pacific formed the. basis of an unusual petition presented to the House of Representatives by the Right Hon. W. J\ Massey yesterday afternoon. The petitioner was Thomas Bell, of Supday Island, and he asked for the titlo in fee simple of that place. Tho history of this tiny outpost of the Empire and of tho Bell family's connection with ft is somewhat romantic. In his petition, J[ T . Bell stated that "With ins family, twelve in all, ho occupied Sunday Inland Tot twenty-three :years, during which period lie imported livo stock from New Zealand, also na"tive labour from Savage Island, and invested the labour and savings of'half ft centiiry thereon. The supposed annexation of tho island, however, by the ' Government of Now Zealand anil the occupation of his cleared lands bv their settlers were the direct cause of the entire loss of his family's sheep, and what was perhaps of oven more' consequence, the scattering of the adult portion of the family over the colonies, and ultimately to tho family's complete ruin. Ho was finally. informed that the Government bad been pleased to grant him ono hun- , dred acres as a freehold, with the option of leasing an inaccessible part of the island, composed of high cliffs and broken gorges, which ho lind pointed- out was utterly worthless. He claimed that at the time this wholesale confiscation end mitrago was perpetrated the New Zealand Government had acquired no legal rights or claim whatever on Sunday Island. Tt was not till later, after his ruin had been effected and his. family scattered abroad, that tho annexation of (lie island was legally effected by au Act of the Imperial Parliament. The petitioner says, in conclusion:."l would state that I retained Sunday Island for the British flag for many years, and I lay this petition before you, Tclying on the justice of that flag, being sufficient to secure mo my rights, viz., the title in foo simple, by virtuo of my occupancv, or compensation, as yon may decide My nravpi- fnr a title in fee simple In Sunday Inland is requesting no more than lias been granfed to occupants of othe* small islands in tho Pacific after a few ocoupancv. Fanning Island bcine to 1 " nslatico TOjll.lrTiDirn in Mftw.ZaaUnd *V W N