TIMBER ROYALTIES

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1921, Page 1

TIMBER ROYALTIES

< CONFERENCE OK COUNTY COUNCILS.

(Grey Argus). conference of delegates representing County Councils was held in the County Council Chain hers, Greymouth, last evening. The following delegates were present:—Mr A. Blair (chair), Messrs J. Irvine, A. Bohinson, J. flannan, .j. .McCarthy, I). Bayhutt and P. Donnellan (representing the Grey County Council); Messrs J. .Murdoch, 1. M. Dufll and I). J. Keans (Westland County Council) ;Mr J. R. Mullan (Puller County Council); and Mr Brett (Inangahua County Council). Mr Blair said it was simply a question of royalties. They had not got much in the past, and it looked as. it

11 lev were <'ion»- to py't loss in the future. 'llie quantity of timber was yoinij; over the wharf, hut it was impossible to <tet returns for it. •Mr II > nnan said he understood that the Council had received word from the Forestry Department that no royalties would he paid in the future. They were to certain revenues hut they

(lid not know which, was goldfield and which was Forestry revenue. Ali .Murdoch expressed appreciation of the Westland Council at the Grey CounciTs calling the conference together. The time had now arrived when tlie Councils had to 'maintain their rights or go with,out them altogether. They had it from Sir Francis Hell that he intended to deal with tinlocal sawmiHers separately. They had keen lighting the battle of the sawmiiiers, who were apathetic on the subject. lie complained the sawmil ers had not stolid by the local bodies as they should have done. The Forestry regulations had taken up almost the whole of the hush in the four counties! as provisional State forest;'. They had had statutory rights which they thought could not be taken from them, but the Department was taking them. Mr Massey had said they were entitled j to full revenue from these blocks. I'n- j less they maintained a walehful ’ookout they would not get it. Sir Francis Hell said they would get 2(1 per cent oi tlie.net revenue, hut when the salaries el high paid ollicials were paid there would not be much left. K.xpeii- wen appointed and local men were appoin ed to advise the experts. He had sect them in the bush ntea.-uiing t ees. They had net allowed for wind, i tr. and he wondered if they would go through and measure again after tin wind ■ blew trees down. Heforeiiei made by Sir Francis Beli to the War dens was uncalled lor. lie had saic Wardens were inliuemed by leavers i He bad heard cheap jibes about r.r

honourable profession, l»ut t )is c;m:< had]v from the Atlorney-Ceneral, p-U' ticularly to the Wardens, who could not reply. ]f the Wardens had been misled’in the past, they had been misled by the Commissioners themselves. II hey wen? careful they could prevent more Orclers-in-C'onnc d being nmde-th.vri

won' sale. They knew how they got the War Regulations through in the past. They should see that the (iovernment did not interfere with the fields <>l millers to State forests and reservations. If they took Westland from end to end they had little l<M't hut reservations. They had waited a long time to eome into their own and we should tell

the others that they would not he interfered with. They should see that no Bill is brought down interfering with vested rights'and interfering with the lights of sawmillers. • T hey would t’-. n

come intq their own. Mr Brett thought they could do nothing without repealing that portion of the Mining Act that deals with the Midland Railway Reserves. f Mr Mullan said the best part of Bailer was in Harbour Board endowments. Almost the whole of the timber was either in reservation or Harbour endowments. They were supposed to get 20 per cent of the net revenue. Mr Murdoch: “Twenty per cent or nought!” Mr Blair: “They would not get enough to pay tile staff.” The position was that a man could not cut his own timber on 11is own freehold, without asking Sir Francis Bell about it. Mr Bayhutt moved and Mr Irvine

■ccomled :—“That this conference requests the Local Bodies of Westland, Grey, Inangahua. and Buller to appoint, if necessary, a rcprpsen£.tive to confer with, and assist, the West Coast Members of Parliament in safeguarding iheii revenue from timber and mining reservations.”

-Mr Murdoch moved and Mr Blair seconded:—“That: the local bodies be asked to support the resolution with reference to unpaid royalists and rents placed before the Prime Minister at Hokitika by the Westland County Council.”—Carried. Mr Murdoch moved and Mr Blair seconded:—“That the question of representatives be left in the hands ol the Chairman of each local body.”— Carried.

Mr Baybutt moved and Air Irvine seconded that the Councillors lie accorded a hearty vote of thanks and appreciation for their attendance and valuable information.—Carried.