PAGES FROM THE PAST.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1922, Page 9

PAGES FROM THE PAST.

COMPENSATION FOR WAR LOSSES.

AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT, MORE TROUBLE LOOMING. (By “Juvenis.”) On the 21at of March, the Governor in Council recommended the Provincial Council of Taranaki to pass a Bill for raising, Iby debentures, the sum of £50,000 for the purpose of partly paying Mr. Sewell’s award for compensation for losses sustained by the war, which was accordingly done. The following is the Council paper: ’“Hie Honor the 'Superintendent of Taranaki. “New Plymouth, 21st March,lB63. “Sir.—ln reference to the expenditure of the sum of £200,000 to .be raised under the Loan Act, 1862, to assist in any nwa.su res adopted by His Excellency tne Governor in Council for the reinstatement of the settlement and inhabitants of Taranaki, I have now the honor to convey to you the substance of some measures adopted this day by the Governor in Council for the purpose just .stated. “In order to place the settlers of Taranaki, who have been driven from their /homes, or suffered losses l during the war, in a position to resume their ordinary operations on their farms or elsewhere, and at the same time to provide funds for the execution of measures absolutely necessary for their permanent security, it is proposed that a sum of £120,000 be considered payable out of the £200,000 for settlers’ losses; of this sum £30,000 has been already received by the settlers, and Government propose to raise immediately, if possible, the balance of C90,000, and to pay it to the claimants under Mr. Sewell’s award. With the £25,000 paid under' the former grant of z the General Assembly, this will make £145,000 paid out of the total £189,000 or thereabout, awarded by [Mr. Sewell or the Sub-Commissioners on account of the classes of t the settlers'’ claims.

“Although there will thus be left a balance of about £44,000 unprovided for out of reinstatement fund, it is to be remembered that the remainder of that fund will be expended on measures for the permanent (reinstatement of the Province generally, including the individual colonists who have, •s'uffered during the war; but the Government are desirous that the settlers should receive either in cash or in some acknowledgment bearing interest, the full amount awarded for their losses.

“In order to effect this object and to provide for the balance last mentioned, namely £44.000, it is proposed that the Superintendent and the Provincial Council of Taranaki should immediately pass an Act authorising the issue of debentures to the amount of £50,000, payable at any time after the expiration of ten years, bearing interest at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum, and chargeable on the provincial revenue of Taranaki. This arrangement must necessarily be submitted to the sanction of the General Assembly, but the General Government will at once guarantee the interest of the first five years, reserving for that purpose a sufficient sum from the reinstatement fund. “If your Honor and the Provincial Council accede to the above proposition, and will pass the requisite Act without delay, the assent of His Excellency will’ be given to it, and instructions will be thereupon immediately issued for the raising of the first mentioned sum of £90,000. —I am, etc., “ALFRED DOMETT.” Early in March the Maori King natives committed two outrages in Waito build a Court House and Police Station at Te Kohekohe, and carpenters were employed on the work. After inducing the carpenters to leave their work, the natives took possession of the building, and rafted the timber of which it was being erected and floated it down the river. On the 24th. they went to the premises of Mr. Gorst, a celebrated Maori apologist, who lived at Te Awamut.u, and conducted a Maori newspaper, called “Pihoihoi Mokemokc.” Breaking open the printing office they took away the press and type. On March the 30th. H.M.S.S. Harrier arrived at New Ply month, from Manukau, with 80 men of the 65th Regiment, under Lieutenant Pagan, and 120 men of the 70th Regiment, under Captain Ralston. On Saturday the 4th of April, the troops moved from Omata, and took possession of Tataraimaka, encamping on Mr. McDonald’s farm, but deciding to build a redoubt on Bayly s farm by I the edge of the cliff overhanging the | road, near to the Katikara river. j On Sunday evening, the 19th. the Maoris, under the chief Parenga Kingi. threw into the Tapuae river the stones which the soldiers had collected for repairing the road at that spot.