TIMBER ROYALTIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1917, Page 1

TIMBER ROYALTIES.

CONFERENCE OF LOCAL BDOIES

A conference of representatives of West Coast County Councils was l lo * ll ,t the County Chambers Street, C roymoiith, 'yestenlay, to go into the question of timber royalties as affecting County revenue. The conference was arranged by Cr. M. Hannan, Chairman of the Grev County Council, and together with Cr. J. McCarthy, and Mf J. Phillips (County Cleric), and J. Higgins (County Engineer) represented that body. Cr. J. A. Murdoch, “represented th 'Westland County and Crs. Mclnroo (chairman), Mr. Brett (Engineer) and Mr. A. 11.. Auld (County Clerk) the In angahua body. The Bullcr (on illy Council was not represented. - Cr. Hannan was voted to the ehair. He explained that lie was pleased .to sceMr. Murdoch present, as it was due to that gentleman’s initiative that the local bodies had got on! the track of the fact that the Government were not paying to the local bodies the " hole of the revenues actually received from timber royalties, etc., within Westland. Ho asked Air. Murdoch to lay before the ropresentaties the various sections of the different stntutf's bearing on the subject. Mr. Murdoch first asked the roprosentutios whether they were agreeable to bind each other not to make any separate settlement with the Government, hut to act unitedly in seeing that each body got its lull duo. Cr.’McCarthy : No separate peace! The Chairman That’s right—like the A..ICS.

The suggestion was agreed to . Continuing, Air. .Murdoch said the position involved a consideration of the earlier statutes hearing on the question of royalties in "Westland. By Section 222 of the Land Act, 1892, the Land Board of the district was allowed to grant licenses for cutting or removing timber or flax. Section 13 of the Alining Act Amendment made part of the revenue for timber licenses and timbereutiing rights, goldfields revenue. The .section authorised’' the Governor to define and specify in any mining district two classes of areas, viz., (1) land hoard timber areas and (2) Warden’s timber areas. The'same Act permitted that all fees and royalties should be. deemed territorial revenue in the first, ease, and goldfields revenue in the second ease. Then the Local Bodies Financing Powers Act constitutes goldfields revenue part of the. County Fund. These sections were repeated in the amending acts, with the exception that the word “rents” were "addedsin the later Statutes. Then the Legislature passed the Timber and Flax' Royalties Act, 1905; and it appears that the ■ Government have treated the last Act as impliedly repealing the sections' of the Mining Act.

The-argument of the Crown appeared to bo that the Timber and Flax Act cuts down or derogates from the right* of the West Coast local authorities. He stated this was a mistaken view of the statutes, showing that the Act in question was intended fis an additional advantage to the local bodies, instead of otherwise. He was clearly ol opinion that the local bodies of the West Coasthad an undoubted claim to large sums of royalties, rents and foes, which had been admittedly paid by sawmillers ami others, and which had been improperly retained by the Government. A demand should he made for these moneys on account of the pressing needs of the various Councils for urgoni public works and the Government should also he compelled to give full particulars of the gross amounts received and all deductions which they claimed to have the right to make, particulars of which had hitherto been denied.

The Chairman.traversed the whole, of the sections quoted and agreed with the conclusions of the previous speaker. After further discussion by .Messrs. Brett, Mclnroe, Auld, and Higgins, t was unanimously decided to send resentatives to Wellington next week to wait on the Ministers of Lands and Mines, and make a claim for hack royalties on timber mounting to thousands of pounds. These royalties are collected through the Warden and paid into the Hands Office at Hokitika, the'half of •' which is paid out, under the Land Act, to local bodies. The conference elaimel that the local bodies concerned are entitled to the whole of the revenue under the Mines Act. The position >s one involving legal points, and the proposal to send a delegation to Wellington will be referred to the respective Councils represented for approval.