THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1907. KING COUNTRY TOWNSHIPS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 30, 17 May 1907, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1907. KING COUNTRY TOWNSHIPS.

The oft-quoted saying that " experience means mistakes," may aptly be applied to the administration of the King Country by the Government, and, in another sense, it may be safely asserted that inexperience also means mistakes. However, though it is universally recognised that mankind is prone to err, and the individual is usually content to abide by the consequences of his actions, reasonable people seek to redeem themselves, and make reparation when their mistaken actions involve their neighbours. When the lands of the Rohe Potae began to be acquired by the Government, and were thrown open for European settlement, it was well known by all those rxquainted with the country, thr.t town centres would be required on the railway. To the most element ray mind having any knowledge of the trend of settlement, and the possibilities of the country, there wero certain positions which one day would develop into market towns, and serve large outlying districts. This has been the history of progress in all countries, and even in New Zealand examples were to hand in many districts. Altogether, the position was plain, and needed no abstruse thought or calculation to decipher. iStill, the authorities took no action, and the places were allowed to grow, Topsy-like, with latent possibilities undeveloped, and the business /and industries shackled, and cramped, for >'want of decent conditions. A very few years ago Te Kuiti township lands could have been purchased outright by the Government for a few pounds per acre. The owners were willing to sell, and would have found profitable use for the money obtained from the sale. Still the Government took no action, and it was only when the position became acute, that a means was found of dealing with the matter by handing the land over to the Maori Land Board. Even then, had proper arrangements been made for the laying out of the township, and formation of streets, as would have been required had the land been owned by Europeans, the position would not have been so bad as it is at present. Directly the people recognised that the Government meant to do nothing further, and that only on a very restricted area was it possible to secure building sites, the competition for the sections became keen, and high rents were paid for twenty-one-year leases. In addition, the lessees are now faced with all the work incidental to the formation of an entirely new town. The land is there, but the streets exist only on the plan. Many of them arc through swamps, or up steep sidlings, and will require a large expenditure to i make them serviceable for even walking tracks, let alone wheel traffic. However, the Land Board receives the rents, wrung from a European population in a ballooned market, where prices were forced up, and people had to pay or do without a place to build on. It is safe to say that the position is unique, and those people who have taken town sections will have to dip deep into their pockets in order to make Te Kuiti a decent place to live in as regards streets, and other necessary adjuncts of civilization. As matters stand at present the sections have to be re-valued at the end of twenty-one years, and the holders are allowed compensation for improvements at valuation. This only applies to improvements on the sections, and the Native owners will reap the advantage gained by every improvement effected by the residents as a body, in the matter of streets and other necessary works. Already section holders are beginning to realise that they have incurred a serious liability, and cannot expect to reap a corresponding benefit. The tenure of the land will prevent them from |

obtaining loan money to effect improvements after the manner of other local bodies, and the position is far from enviable. There is no blinking the fact that the state of allairs has been greatly caused by Governmental neglect, and ignorance of local conditions on the part of those in power. Judging from recent utterances ol more than one member of the Ministry, the authorities are awakening to the knowledge that this is a country worth exploiting, and itiis to be hoped an endeavour will be made to put the matters referred to, on a more satisfactory footing. What direction the alteration will take, providing those in power can be prevailed upon to take action, can safely be left to a Ministry whose declared policy is one of progressive legislation, and whose aim is the creation of conditions which will make for the general prosperity of the country. The conditions at present obtaining are the exact opposite of this, and it is the obvious duty of every resident in the district to work with the object of prevailing npon the members of the Government to apply their policy to all King Country centres.