KING COUNTRY TOWNSHIPS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 96, 21 August 1908, Page 5

KING COUNTRY TOWNSHIPS.

Corife.reiv.'.c al GiorDb^sa. The conference of f elggams arranged between the townships cf TaumarumA, "Cc Kuiti. &::'.] Oixrohanga, took place at o;crchc::ga on Tuesday last. There Fletcher (Taumarunui), Jer. Ormsby, f. Boddie, Pepere Eketone ar.d Fortescue (Te Kuiti,) and J. Ormsby, C. J. Johnson, and H. M. Quinn (Otorohanga). Mr Jer. Ormsby was voted to the chair. The Chairman referred to the object of the conference and expressed pleasure at the meeting of representatives from the different centres. The question to discuss was a complex one but he felt sure that by opening the matter up thoroughly for discussion some good results would be achieved. There had not been sufficient foresight displayed in establishing- the townships and serious trouble had now to be faced. The of places was hampered . by existing conditions and the Europeans, as lessees, and the Natives as beneficiary owners Were affected thereby. They might not all see eye to eye with regard to the method to adopt but should arrive at a good- v/orking basis in the best interests of both parties. They could uo% go back on the past, but could start from the present and originate a good practical scheme. •:• ) f Mr Ward said that the Taiimarunui' Council had recommended several alternative measures with the object of being .able to win out somewhere. Under existing conditions they could not win out anywhere. The townships were growing, population was increasing and the longer they delayed the more serious became the trouble. They had an undoubted claim to the full rights of citizenship, v/hich at present were ' denied them. Mr Ward then? detailed the work of the Taumarnuui Council since its institution in 1906. Numerous applications had been made to the Government for the purpose of assisting in the development of the township, and almost all had been refused. Prior to the township being thrown open for settlement the.' streets should have been formed. This had hot been done,and no provision had been made for assistance towards the work. A loan under the "Loans to Local Bodies Act" had been applied for and had been refused on the ground that there was no provision made for advancing money to Native Townships. They had placed there case before _a Solicitor for advice and had been unable to get their position defined. The revenue of the Council was about £l5O a year and out of that amount it was impossible-to keep the roads in .order . and comply with the sanitary regulatons. The interests of the Maori and European were insuperably bound and they should be unanimous in v/orking for reasonable and amenpable legislation. ... Mr Fletcher supported Mr Ward's remarks ande contended that the tenants should be represented on the Maori Land Board. Mr Boddie-, said in order to place something definite before the conference he would propose that after full consideration of all the difficultes met with in endeavouring to establish local governmnt in Native Townships, this conference is of opnion that immediate steps should be taken for bringing before the Government the urgent necessity for an alteration in the land tenure of the Native Townships of Taumarunui, Te Kuiti and Otorohanga, and recommended as first step, the removal of all restrictions from the Native. owners in dealing with township lands. In speaking to the motion'Mr Boddie said the first step to ask for was the removal of restrictions. Several things had been tried and all paesented difficulties. The existing tenure was hurtful to progress on the part of the settlers. The fact that Native lands were not open to taxation was a serious difficulty, and until those lands were placed on the same footing, in respect to taxation, as freehold towns' they would be faced with the difficulty, of financing them. , Other townships he knew of had to face the difficulty of doing the initial work but being Crown lands andopen to taxation, the difficulties had been'overcome by taking advantage of the "Loans to Local Bodies Act." Mr Johnson said that all were in the same boat, and should work to the one end. They could all see the difficulties of taking up the onus of local government. He thought the Native owners would cooperate with them and hoped to have an expression of opinion from them* ■ Mr John Ormsby said-the Otorohanga residents "had carried a similar resolution to the one proposed as to removal of restrictions. There could not be much difference of. opinion on either side. The chief features of the case were the great difficulties in obtaining loans to make improvements, as a public body, and the giving of opportunity to leaseholders to finance on their sections. They had to exercise great care and thoroughly realise what they were doing. The townships were in a different position to rural lands; they were vested in the Maori Land Board, and the leases were bydeed from the Board, v/hich was standing between the lessees and the real' owners. The removing of restrictions meant the wiping out of the Board, and in trying to get out of one difficulty we might be getting into a worse fix. Under the present legislation the restrictions could be removed at the discretion of the Board, providing all parties were agreeable. Fepe-ne Eketor.e, Te Kuiti, said he saw no advantage in the removal of restrictions. The title was vested in the Board and the wiping out of the Board might simply be doing away with, the present title. It meant asking to have the Act cf lhi)s in its amendments done away with. As the proposal to deduct 23 per cent, from the rents for township improvements, they had to consider that if the townships had been improved'when the sections were put up, the rents would have been higher. He was in favour of a fair adjustment and they must meet somewhere. Mr Fletcher drew attention to the term of the lease, and the fact that a revaluation was made at the end of 21 years. © Mr Quimi (Otorohanga.) supported Mr Fletcher's contention and spoke in favour of having the right to acquire the freehold. The question had been

fully discussed by the local branch of the Farmers' Union, and a resolution had been forwarded to Wellington. A reply had been received from the Minister for Lanes stating that it was not iriended this session ta interfere with the lard laws of the Dominion. The Chairman said the desire to acquire the freehold would have to be considered. If the lessee wished to obtain the freehold from the beneficiary owrer the Board should place no obstruction in the way. There should be no compulsion. He would support the motion in that form. Mr Ecddie, in replying to the criticisms, said all that was required was a workable scheme on equitable and just "lines. The fact that the fee simple of the land had passed into the hands of the Beard appeared to be a difficulty, but the Board was a creation of the Legislature for a certain purpose. If it was found the conditions which were being worked under were against the general interests and progress these conditions should be altered. The difficulty of borowing for public works was the kernel of the question;'" as the necessary works could only be done by borrowed money. The lands should'be 1 made available for taxation, purposes. As to private borrowing, if the same conditions obtained as under the "Advances to Settlers Act," there could .be no 'complaint. This would raise the security, immediately from fourth class to first class. The Board' should' be! satisfied when equitable arrangements were made for the freehold and not act as a direct block. The motion was put and carried unanimously. A motion requesting that all land in the Native Townships of Taumarunui, Te Kuiti, and Otorohanga be made liable for taxation for all local public purposes, proposed by the Chairman, and seconded by Mr Ward, was carried. Mr Ward proposed, that power be given to lessees to sublet, subdivide, and tanrsfer township property held in lease. Seconded by the Chairman and carried. ' It was resolved on the motion of Mr Boddie," seconded by Mr Johnson, that it be a recommendation to the Waitomo County Council to appoint a delegate and that each township elect a delegate or delegates to form a deputation to proceed to Wellington to lay the foregoing resolutions before the Government. • • •