ROADING OF NATIVE LANDS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 471, 5 June 1912, Page 6

ROADING OF NATIVE LANDS.

To the Editor. Sir, —In referring to the speech made recently by the Prime Minister at Opunake, where he dealt with the question of roading native lands, to my mini, if he and hid colleagues introduce legislation on the lines suggested iti his speech, »he now present difficulty will be overcome. How often, sir, during the last year or two have you advocated the question of roading native lands. Our county council have had repeated applications .before them form lessees of native lands for road access. I have advocated that meetings the v-ery awkward position these people are. Further more I can see a very great uifficulty ahead of such counties as ours in the matter of roading native lands if legislation is not introduced on similar lines to what the Prime Minister suggested. It therefore behoves all counties affected to urge the Government to introduce such legislation, which I feel certain will tend to overcome one of our greatest difficulties in the roading of the back blocks. Under present conditions we can do nothing: we have no money. In all probability no rates have been collected from the sections, and if so the amounts would be so small that it would be worthless to spend it, even to try and make a track. The Government will not give a grant, and why should they? For instance, we will say that an application is made for a grant, and the amount of the grant is authorised to form, say, four or five miles fcf road to give access to some section of native land. This road, when completed, will, (which has already been done) go through and open up other large areas of native land, to which the owners have not contributed one penny. The lands through which the road passes have increased in value on that acount at the cost of every man, woman and child in the Dominion. That, in my mind, is not equitable. On the other hand it might be argued that the Government give large sums of money by way of grants to make roads giving access to Crown lands. Admitted that is so. but it must be remembered that in the case of Crown lands the land is loaded for roads before it is open for selection, and in many cases the tenant pays his loading years before he gets his road. Whatever increased value similar roading has placed on the Crown lands belongs to the State because Crown lands are an asset of the people, and whatever money is granted by Parliament in the direction of roading to give access to Crown lands increases the value of an asset to the Dominion. I might here mention a point which I wish to impress. In the past in such counties as ours the giving of road access to Crown lands has increased an asset of many a native owner or owners for which they have paid nothing, and have a good road access to their lands at a cost to the State, but under the proposed legislation such native lands would be loaded for that roading, and thereby contribute their quota in exactly the same way as the Crown lands are doing at the present time. The present time lessees of native lands would not b9 in any worse position if such legislation were brought into operation to-morrow if they had to pay the loading on top of their rent; in fact they would, I think, being a much better position. Their lands would he loaded for roading and the onus would be on the Government to survey, and road these native lands which, under the present conditions if a lessee of native land requires a road access to a section, he has to first apply to the local

body for a Governor'? warrant to survey a road; then ho lias, to guarantee the cost of such survey, which in some cases is a considerable amount:, then when he has his road surveyed the difficulty arises how is ho going to get i it formed? That is the position such j counties as ours are now confronted with. How is assistance to be given to these people under present conditions. I have advised them to form a special rating area raise a loan, and try and get a £ for £ subsidy if they take up that position and raise a loan. I contend they are loading their land by way of a special rate for 36J years for such roading then why not get the £ for £, whereas, on the other hand if the native lands are loaded for loading, and such loading does not meet the cost of the roading the Government must assist by way of grants as in the case of Crown lands. Too often do we see and henr said by the native owners who are sitting tight, "Ah! te pakeha, he te good fellow, he make te good roads," which in many cases has been no expense to himself. Take our county, the miles of road being metalled by means of loans. Who is the greatest benefactor? Is it the Crown tenant? No; he is paying a loading on his land for roading; he is paying a special rate to repay the loan, and any value his property has increased by these metalled roads belongs to the State. Then., is it the person who has a lease of native land? No; he has his rent to pay, has special rate to pay, during the term of his lease, and any value his property has increased belongs to the native owner when his lease expires. That native owner, who has paid nothing for that increased value, is the greatest. Whereas, if these native lands were loaded for roading before being leased to Europeans, the lessees would reduce their rents according to the loading of these lands because in all probability these lessees would have to pay the loading during the term of their lease, and the native would be contributing his quota through the medium of- his rent being reduced, which iB practically the object in view. This will be attained if the proposed legislation is carried into effect. Concluding, I trust every local body in the King Country and elsewhere which is similarly affected, will use every effort in their power to urge their representatives in Parliament to support legislation on the lines suggested by the Prime Minister. —I am, etc., A. SCHOLES.