MAORI LEASES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 160, 26 March 1918, Page 7

MAORI LEASES

IN NORTH ISLAND TOWNS

A TRYING POSITION

I In three of the most progressive of 'tho little towns in the.middle of the North Island the land on which tho town is built belongs to Maori owners who havo no part in tho life of tho town and who mostly do not even live in tho town. These three places aro To Kuiti, Otorohanga, and Taumaruimi. Tho only tenure that a white mau can got for a piece of land in ono of these towns is a 21-years' lease, with a perpetual right of renewal, subject to a revaluation every twenty-one years. Tho revaluation is the Government Valuation for taxation purposes. If at the end of-the period the lessee does not care to renew the. leaso for any reason it is put up to auction, and from tho proceeds of the sale tho former lessee is repaid for his improvements. This lease has never given any satisfaction to the' lessees, who have built houses, made streets, and erected business premises where fifteen year? agoti-treo grow in swamps. They are particularly displeased with tho lease at present, becauso the'most recent valuations aro high. , A deputation representing these three towns waited upon.the Prime Minister yesterday afternoon to ask • him for 'some relief. It was stated by different members of tho deputation that tho valuations were so high that if the lessees had to pay the rents based upon •them many'.of them would not think it worth, while to renew their leases. If another perspn should take up any lease that was being abandoned by tho present holder, tho lessee who was giving up possession could get his improvements, hut it.might happen wider these circumstances'that there would be no bidders for the. lease,, and this would mean that it would revert to the native owner, together with all improvements. It was pointed out that most of the increase in value that lias been added to these lands is due to the expenditure of money by the white settlers, and'that unless the tenures aro improved there would be a possibility of the lands reverting with all theso improvements to the Natives, who have never had to hear one penny of the expense of making'the improvements. It was stated that the inequity of the position was recognised by most of the Natives themselves. The return from the land war, bv so much the, more insecure to tlicin. and for this reason tlffly would welcome, a change. There was a- popular idea- that the people in these towns wore anxious to get from the Natives all this valuable land at less than the real value, but this was not so'. They were, anxious to deal fairlv with the Maori owners. Ihe deputation suggested that the-only manlier in which the facts with reliable advice could he properly obtained for the Government was by the setting up of a commission of, say, three members, two of whom should be residents in the districts affected.. The difficulties .were not quite tho same in-all the three towiis. and it would he a. matter nt some difficulty to evolve a scheme suitable for all of them. . The Prime Minister said that tho question had cropped up on this occasion at a time, when the Government had manv things to think about. _ It would not bo possible to do anything in the wa-v of legislation during tho coming short session, if legislation should be required to deal with the matter. Such legislation would have to stand oyer until the ordinary session. Personally, he would have no objection to tho setting up of a Eoval Commission, but or course the matter was, one that would have to go before Cabinet. He assured them that if the Government could do anything to straighten out the dlfiiculty it would he willing to do it, because it was in the interests of the State as well as of the individuals that people ill these towns should have reasonable! security of tenure. The Government had intended to do something to relievo the situation by purchasing the Native land in the towns, but the war had come along- and had altered the financial position very ■much indeed. But for .the war he was sure that tho tenures iii these townships would havo been in a very much more satisfactory position.