NATIVE TOWNSHIP TENURE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 552, 22 March 1913, Page 5

NATIVE TOWNSHIP TENURE.

OBTAINING THE FREEHOLD. LIBERTY OF ACTION URGED. GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS. The importance of the question of tenure as affecting native township land has long bpen urged by King Country residents, and upon the first official visit of the present Minister of Native Affairs to the district, the op portunity was taken to bring the matter prominently before him.

Mr A. F. Howarth, who acted as spokesman for the Chamber of Commerce, in introducing the subject, said it was an old grievance aa far as Te Kuitl and other King Country centres were concerned, and the older it became the greater the importance it assumed. The residents considered the present conditions were not equitable". Although the Act of 1910 provided that alienations could be effected, the power of veto rested with the board, and the experience was that no sales had been recommended except in one or two instances under special circumstances. He pointed out the difference between the conditions governing the transactions in rural native lands aa compared with township lands, and advocated the placing of township lands the same conditions as rural lands. Cases were instanced in which Europeans had applied to have purchases of town sections ratified, and though the price was considerably in advance of the Government valuation and the Maori owners had other lands, the transactions were vetoed by the board. The speaker referred to the fact that the whole of the town improvements had to bs borne by the lessees and rates were only payable on the lessees' interests. The increased values consequent upon the enterprise of, the lessees would result in largely increased rents having to be paid at the end'of twenty one years. The difficulty of financing on the part of the borough and private individuals was a serious matter, and the impossibility of obtaining the freehold accentuated the difficulty. The speaker said no difficulty in respect to partitions stood in the way; all the sections were individualised and the titles could be obtained providing the recommendation of the board could be obtained. Mr Howarth strongly urged the necessity of placing the town lands on the same footing as rural lands. Mr Boddie, in supporting the previous speaker's contentions, made a strong point of the difficulty of financing under present conditions, and referred to the fact that a movement was on foot to bring in rating on the unimproved value which would, if carried, further complicate the position. There was no desire to force sales, but he strongly urged that freedom to make a bargain upon equitable terms should be granted. The Minister, in reply, stated that apparently conditions in the various townships differed considerably. It might be advisable to place all the townshipß under the Act of 1909. As Minister it would be wrong for him to interfere with the works of any court or board, and hp did not intend to do so. However, he agreed that if an owner was willing to sell there was no reason why he should not be allowed to do so. He thought there must be some reason for the attitude of the board which had not been made apparent. The president was a capable and deserving officer. What he hoped to accomplish with respect to all vested lands was to gradually acquire the whole of them and then give to the tenant the opportunity of acquiring the freehold. The difficulties in respect to partitions rendered this course advisable, but as far as Te Kuiti was concerned the fact of the partition difficulty not existing made matters favourable \ for private dealings. Continuing, Mr Herries said he intended to amalgamate the Land Boards and Land Courts, and this course would probably simplify and expedite transactions in native lands considerably.