WEST COAST LEASES.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1915, Page 7

WEST COAST LEASES.

GIiATITLiIL thill lMl'i:n\'Kl) TI:NLI;L. I'liK-L.NTATKi.N To Mil. L. MANWKLI.'. A very plea-ant and oiilhiuinsU.- jta(iieiin:; of nicmbors of the West Co;ct .' ].< a -cs' Commit fee took pho o at, the ( lioroueii Council Clrimlicr \«»~U-vtlav lor i the puipo'-c of expressing the . i of i'io ies.i'cs ho Mr. K, Ma:r,ell for ■ ills \sllmiiiif. sei'\ ices vonilel ted V.ith (i.o I (.ijlainiiia' of legislation to improle the f 1 tonui'o of the less,, ( ; ind secure for I'vm : full compensation for improvements. * The work which Mr. .Maxwell undo-look t extended, over a Ion;; period, but ho pro- i ceedod slop by step, oven-oniine' aj] oh- I staclcs and p'.layinjr all fears as to the s .Natives .-.ulli.inn 1 any injustice, until e.n n Act was ijci-.s'ine' whereby the leases were o cx'eio'eil for toil yiars, and the h—ces f given full tfompeiisation for improve- i nioirts instead of (he limit of .Ci wiii.h! c pi C\: I.li ,|y exist) d. 11 had been hope I j \ that. Mr. -Maxwell would have been pre- I 1 vailed upon to accept a .subslanliiul c token of the settlors' bi:l that I t ho linnly resi.siod. j ■■ M;'. I. f l . lilueh.'on. who presided, said I 1 ho had to perform a, very pleasant duty, I t thou;.ii ho fell, Cult what, he had to do a was somewhat inaileipiate. 11 the I West \'oa-t lessees recognised the ?pe> r cial clkii't.- of -Mr. Maxwell ,in connec- , tinu w'itii the Legislature relative to the |; lei-cs. Lveryone in the disti'ict regard- \ ed Mr. Maxwell's speech, when the Mill- j ister of l'u'blic Works visited (tpunake, 1 a; a. nia-ierly ec.iosition of the case for f tl'.o lo'S-ecs, shov.ing- a thorough g" !-n ( oi' the -whole details connected with the r subject, wiiini was oxplaiiiod with imi- ■! pliatic ch-arness. Mr. Maxwell was np i 111 i i' * > - * '. i ■ 1 -u--e tin' matter in ha ml. a ml i ihi t'ov ali Mltislied with 'lie s;;cco-i ( li nt he a.chieved. They were also i '' gi'i;it!y indi hfo l to Mi'. Maxwell's co- : \ workers 1 , the members of iVartian'eut for i the di-tricf. e.iid e.-pi .-ially the member , for Kgmont, i.Mr. Wilkinson, without , who e 11 el ;i it would have been iuipoe-iblo ■ to hope for success. lie. was saiisliou Mr. Maxwell had carried out his (1 iHicult, task in a masterly manner. The '.Code ill ' loss, OS do-ip.,l to re'.V.lld Jlr. .Maxwell in a suo-lanlial way lot the gre.it trouble and re-oui'i-oinbn--s he had used on their behalf, but that ;.or.Ueinan v.-ould only accoi't actual oui.-ol-]io.d.ot exiiensos, and. nothing' thev could urge would alter that decision one iota. They recognised bo had put professional won: into hi-, ell'orts for (hem. and considered it was only fair and ju-'t. to regard his services iu that ligl:'. Than':; to his special services, the. committee apn-siute l by the b- .-ies had been saved inc'iiso t rouble and t ' /i iisc. M l '. Maxv. ell doing" all (hat was necessary. They v,i"e met to.L'cllier Ilia', dav to gi\e, Mr. Maxwell a memento id' their afprcciaibm ,if bis service:, and in hamlin'.:' an. eiiihla/.oned address, which was suitably framed, to Tltr. Mr. Jlnswoll the chairman e'.ii]diasisod the tact that Mr. IMaxv,ell's oll'olts were directed (|iii,(e amucii to the preservation of the right-, of tl/e Natives as iu promoting tile iu tcM'-ts of the lessees, lie then to Mr. Maxwell the following addre-s:-- j l-'ol'ov, ill.'.:' is the lest of the addi'o-s:--- 1 "To I'bencrer Maxwell, I'.sq., liahotu. - We. the undersi-oied. being the exe.-'U-tive committee and representatives of the lessees under the West Coast Settle- ■ meat llcsci'vos Aci. adopt this moans of p'.-.cln':' on re -ord the sins ore th::"'- - 0... ... lessee , for the nMo manlier in which v. i! advocated their interests ;ir.il so '.ore maleriallv assi-tod in obtaining' legislation which , placed the lands under the Aols mentioned on a much more satisfa-lory footing, both for the lessees mrl the natives. Your initial speech ;if o|inui-':c. when interviewing the Honorable the il'rime Miir tei'. was indeed a Oi.i-'i rrieeo. and am;dv ilbi-lrato I your study and gra--p oi a wis intricate -lib- j je I. This vol-: followed by slp-ruon- : ell'orts bv you iu Wellington and else- ' V.'ll :*re, and the si'i-ce-s ;udneved is a f s{and : n<;' r.Mi'Minieni yonr zeal and I r'i' !o'n:i;■ v, j'or i-.'hifh the ]"S'-C' ; ; will be j for ever L'.raleful. In voice to ' this np'preciation in this memorial, we j do nni. i\ v :rei ('hi; ye.ur time and Jalmr ' \vrrc freely •riven to (he cause without j any | ecuniary heue'it to your good self. | end we only ree.t'et ihat a. re'-ocaitdco (( f your ad ion ia substantial form wis not a: copl abb' io \ mi: it would indyci ha\o been -ple r-ing 1 o tlie b's-a'cs Io have presented you with something more tan- j gible. Wishing von and yours long , life, prosperity and happiness.—AVo I'e- [ main, yours faithfully, T. I'. llna-hsnn, ! ■ I.P. (.-iiairman), G, If. Lnonov. William i .lliume. ;r. W Id I eh i-id, Thnm-1-.'A. \Vi"l:s. : .!. W. I'oi'eiuan. .1,1'., das. Iliuo. iuiir.. I I'.rian C. Lysaght, C. A. Ibnlg-o (socro- : tary). ' j •Iff. Wilkinson, momhei- for Kgmont, ! s-aid he cordially enilorsed the remark's of the chairman, whom he complimcii- ■ ted ou his eloquent speech. Mr. Max- ' well had given the West Coast lessees services of enormous value in Ike -work he had done for them. lint for the , success achieved quite a number of les- | sees would either have been eomnclled I to leave their homes or compete in the j open market for new leases. At the 1 sajne lime, lie pointed out that, all the! speeches in the world -would have been 5 futile unless 'lie Government, had been : svmpathotic. ruder Jho Act. which Mr. - Maxwell hail secured the Natives would > largely benefit. 'there were several , members of the l-Morm Party who op- I posed the T*.ill. and over thirty divisions -wore taken during its passage. IniS with . the a-sistance of the other members for ; the province—Messrs. Okey. Iline and j Pearce—the ,p,ill, after a groat struggle, j had become law. and it, was -Mr. Max- j well lo whom the credit was primarily : due for the good ed'octed by the measure. The ho --.cos could not do Mr. Maxwell too much honor for what he done . (Anpla u-e.) Mr. ,T. \Y. Foreman also cordially endorsed the remarks of the chairman and "Mr. Wilkinson rcjardinj? the value o! "Mi*. MaxwclVs services. lb( fully re-coLrni-ed the immensity of tbc> IfHv involved in /M'ttin;.:' trust leircdatiou al- \ trred. a 45 i'lirliament was very avcive in iatcrfcinii' with sueli legislation, l'nt (llert- were trusts and a.m! theCoast land- were a, trust Unit ! ueciled care in altering. 1 !ine wi-uhl j simw what the beiie'its w«uild be. Thai, j h.,'A-,wr. dhi nni aii'e Ut? value of Mr. • *\lj • V. ell's seniec-;. be bavin-;' done all i that was humanly po--ilde ti> jiis- ■ tire |"i)">■ {ln- le~- ! '' '~. 'lf the h-r-ec" euuld 1 obtain the I'iee'iobl, it would he a thin:' f'*om a sentimental point oi view, but 'it mi.uhf, not b:> a. benelit .M'tia- referrin-.;- t«> the aspect oi the <|Ues(><iii us regards the. Xative-- the speaker I colic hided'b\- ex-pie-sim; his ples-aire at j belli'- present to pa-r a tribute lo the : remb-red by "Mr. Maxwell. At (bo outset he was dubious ■whether it was not too niucb for a, one-man jou. but-the result had proved as satisiadory ii' ill, ecu men laid t-11- ou pari. ! There had been some correspondence m ; 1).,. relalivc to the ia-.-rai, tude "I i [!,,, but tie knew there was 110 ■ ingraiitudd ou -their part. ha.l I hi ial dolav, but that was all lie ro- : ..veiled that Mr. 'Maxwell lnd declined lo lake a more substantial memento ; (Int. presold, d to hon. for he was I en I :t lot! to both. \j,. IP Okey. M.P.. said lie was pleased i to bo I,roseut. A great deal had been ! said about, the Act being against fho ! i,,j ere-1 ■■■ of the \ T alivcs but ho wn« =af-i-lied Hiat I hey bcuc'ited the lessees. The land had to be pat i no for competition ex el V I wont v-onc vo:l'''s. and,

had been extended for ten ycai-s. tlir lessees would then have In compete tor renewals unless before then tl.e Goveminent lnul acquired tin: land and the lessees had obtained the freehold, ''dr. -Maxwell had jamic to the ri» t ( ,i (he in liter, am] followed it up ill a wav that v,f Parliament . ouW (j u ',l the time for. Mi'. ■). nine also paid a tr'dni:o („ Mr. Maxwell's work. Mr. .Maxwell, who was ivii'ivc ; with .'-•"•■ it appiau: e. a-l-cd (lio;.|. pro-oul; to lii# I'roken reply. which v.:w owing to Iii■ ■. nervous enndoiou on having to face such a severe ordeal a-: that, which proceeded from the mam' n);a: fag-'-; tlat had been said about him, many of which were iintrui—(No, nol and he felt exceedingly g.atcful for (lie veiy !■:;11.L liioughts e\pros -ed relative to wluit he had done, and also for the memento lie had received.' and he had much (pleasure in accepting it. lie asMired tliein that he would retain it as a record of their appreciation of his endeavors, lie. thanked ail the speaker; for llieir kind expression-. Ii nad always been his desire to do the bo.st he could for his fellow-settlers, and it was very gratifying to have it recorded that his efforts had. been crowned with suc-ce.-s. Possibly, lie was in a boiler position than others to tai-klu the work connected with (he West Coast bases. He thought, that the direct beiud'/ts of the legislation secured wee very groat, ami that the pro-'ocdive benefits wouhi be si ill gi'e iter. The Goveminent could now Juiv the land, the Xativos could >.' 11. and the 10-secs could purchase, and probably after the war, which lie hoped would soon bi' ended, sales would take place, lie had given the best, services he possibly <ouhl. but had been only one amongst several, lie felt I'l'oni tile oiil-el that he had the full sympathy and confidence of the committee, and ■he had received evidence of I hat on many occasions. It was a, very great and dinicult undednking. and he felt. ' (ha! if a large body of settlers iv.-11l to Wellington it would only .rcito onposiiion. The negotiations were of a delicate nature. requiring the groate-t care. ! diplomacy and. tact on the paw of all concerned. His elforls would iiave. been ab-olutely futile without 11.6 assistant of ; 1:e numbers for the district, and pa l '- ticuiarlv Ir. Wilkinson, while Mr. Okey had also rendered valuable service, e-,- ! ec :al!v ill le'at'.on to the rebate in [ il:e rent from to 1 re: 1 cent., a very clevi r a ltd dip! move. lie continued hv again cxnrc -iuc his gratitude lo the lessees, ami regroUeil that the -ci-vices of tho-e who had assi.-ted him bed r.i-t also been similarly reencnised, e reciallv the numbers for tiie district. Mr. !H:cv ■e'-nl tin".l Iha.t the rent paid by nhe West. Coast jo-sees was now oil a j'niilar footing to that of thf> lessees under the Land for Settlement, Act. There was no reduction in the lent paid io the Xativo... i.Mr. Maxwell enipha'd-ed the fact that all were a'.'iced licit there should be no I injn- tico to the .Natives. I The chairman thanked tho-e pre-ent | for their attendance, and 111 ' meeting dis.persed.