ABANDONED SECTIONS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 898, 15 February 1930, Page 12

ABANDONED SECTIONS

PROBLEM AT PIRONGIA From Our Own Correspondent TE AWAMUTU, Friday. In response to .requests of Pirongia settlers, Mr. W. Lee Martin, M.P., brought the Minister of Lands, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, to personally acquaint himself with the long-standing trouble regarding abandoned sections at Pirongia. The visitors were met at Pirongia by Messrs. T. C. Grace and J. Buchanan, and a number of those concerned in the disposal of the sections. Mr. Grace outlined the reasons for requesting the Minister to visit the district. In past years, some of the settlers had bought idle sections that were scattered about the township. The purchases were made in good faith, but unfortunately the formalities had not in all cases been complied with, and this was the cause of much of the present trouble. The occupiers were not able to get clear titles to the sections. There were many titles —some regular, and some irregular. What was wanted was preference to enable them retain the sections that they had occupied for so many years, and which they had improved. The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr. K. M. Graham, described the steps taken by his office, and said that after about April 10 he could go ahead and have the sections proclaimed Crown land. The Crown Lands Board would assist in every way. He did not anticipate any obstacle to a complete clearing up of the difficulty that had beset Pirongia for years. The Minister said Mr. Graham and his officers would do their best to reach a solution that would be fair and equitable for all concerned.