KING COUNTRY DEPUTATION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 100, 2 October 1908, Page 2

KING COUNTRY DEPUTATION.

Visit to Wellington.

The King Country deputation, which left for Wellington on Thursday last, arrived at the Empire City on Saturday, and interviewed the Native Minister and the Premier on Monday, in connection with several matters affecting the townships and district. Major Lusk represented the Waitomo County Council, Mr W. Vicary, Otorohanga, and Messrs Boddie and Steel, TeKuiti. The deputation was introduced by Mr Jennings,M.P.,and there were also present Messrs Greerrslade, Herries, Poland, Ngata, Heke,and the Hon. W. W. McCnrdle.

Major Lusk said that there was now a large influx of people coming into the King Country, and the need for greater facilities lor the furtherance of eettlement was very marked. JW great many intending settlers, afteM waiting in vain for the required faciliV ties, had left the district disgusted. Many settlers had come into the district, and had leased large portions of blocks. To many of these sections there were no roads, and he requested that machinery should be put in motionj to remedy this disability. With regard to the purchase of freehold from the Maori owners when such transactions were in accordance with statute, he hoped the Minister would favourably consider the recommendations that these should be expediated instead of being hung up indefinately. Mr Boddie said that the difficulty in raising money lor public works was greatly felt, and at a recent conference of representatives of Otorohanga, Te Kuiti and Taumarunui it was decided that the Government be asked to provide means whereby the whole of the land within an area of at least one mile from the centre of each township, whether owned or Occupied by Native or Europeans, be immediately made liable to taxation by both ordinary and special taxation. It was also con(sidered imperative, in the interests of 'both races, that all restrictions on. the sale of sections in these townships should be removed, and that all' lands M within the township area be, as far aaJ possible, placed in the, same positioij as other European townships, dufl safeguards being provided to conscPM the interests of the Native owners. was also deisred, in cases in whichßK number of sections had been ' ,u '' l 'mH| in one lease, that power shoul(MH| given when the block was subdivi'clc«B for the granting of direcfuepaniUiß leases, instead of sub-leason, for Mh'H balance of the existing term. « The Minister in his reply said that. 1 when the present law governing tl c \ Native townships was passed affa'ra

were in a very chaotic str.te. lhe legislation then parsed was considered suitable to the circu r stances. _ j.i was not intended that the Act shoutl oe an unchangeable one, a no. me fo ■ taking some further steps r-acl ':;- been recognised by the Government, At present mere were some tlTnships under one act, and some mvto bring 1 them aU unaj; one Act. and to introduce the Giasgov. lease .principle and pro:vs;on ±or purchase." As to the clamour for local governing powers, he said that was already provided for unaer the rsative Townships Act of 1905. Both Te Kuiti nad Otorohanga had already been declared by Gazette notice to be under the provisions of the Act of 1905 with regard to rural lands. As to the request for an extension of the areas of the townships, this was not a matter on which he could give a definite reply at present. The Natives would have to shoulder the same responsibilities., as Europeans in regard to their lands.' It was Intended to make all Native, lands liable to rates, including those which had been reserved but not utilised. This would make it necessary for the owners to turn the land to ac-. count, either by using it themselves or leasing it. As to another point mentioned by Mr Eoddie, provision would be made in the present Bill for direct separate leases of subdivisions of existing leases. On Monday evening the deputation waited on the Premier, being introduced by Mr Jennings. Mr Eoddie, qn. behalf of the townships, said that'at the request of the Native Minister the deputation waited upon him, the Premier, to lay before him their difficulties in connection with the finance of the townships, He was pleased to state that the interview with the Hon. Mr Carroll was of a very satisfactory nature, and the deputation had met with every encouragement. The chief difficulty which remained was that of finance. When the townships were laid on? no provision was made for any public works, which now had to be undertaken by the lessees. There was no desire to hark back on that, and the lessees were perfectly willing to take up the responsibility, but they earnestly desired to be placed in a position to raise sufficient money to carry out the work, which was imperative. The borrowing powers of the new Bill were not great enough, and he suggested that these powers should be enlarged or a substantial subsidy granted _ to afford the necessary relief. The difficulty was recognised by the Native Minister, who was anxious to help them and had referred them to the Premier. The Premier, in reply, stated that the Hon. Mr Carroll had already placed the matter before him and he would endeavour to meet the case. With regard to the subsidy it was not customary to grant subsidies to townships and he did not think he could vary the custom in the present instance. He would go carefully into the matter and see what could be done in the way of granting extended borrowing powers. Major Lusk introduced the matter of extending tha previsions of the Advances to Settlers Act to Native owned lands and urged that lessees of Native lands should be granted the same privileges as lessees from the Crown. .He also asked that district road engineers should be empowered to let contracts for greater amounts than at: present, and pointed out that this would contribute to greater economy in spending the road grants. The Premier said in order to extend the full benefits of the Advances to Settlers Act to Native lands the' Government would require to borrow a great deal more money. They had difficulty in meeting the present demands of the settlers for advances and though he was in sympathy with the reauest he did not wish to convey a wrong impression. Whatever was done in the direction suggested would only be to a limited extent.