HOKITIKA RESERVES

West Coast Times, Issue 355, 12 November 1866, Page 2

HOKITIKA RESERVES

Mr Bright moved — " That a select committee be appointed to report generally upon the subject of reserves and re-sur-veys in the town of Hokitika, and to consider and recommend such measures as may appear to them best calculated to provide for the adjustment of all equitable claims : such committee to consist of Messrs Barff, Duncan, Hawkes, W. Wilson, the Provincial Solicitor, and the mover." The hon, member said that he did not anticipate any objection on the part of the Government to the appointment of this committee. He must, however, confess his disappointment and regret that the subject had been left to a private member to bring under the notice " of the House, for he thought that as the matter had so frequently been brought under the attention of the Provincial Government, by personal communication with his Honor the Superintendent, as well as by memorials forwarded to him, on a subject of so much importance, the Government would have felt it to be .their ' duty to bring the matter under the consideration of the Council. In the town of Hokitika very considerable portions of Crown lands had been reserved for public and for other than stricily public purposes. Very large areas of land had been set apart as Police and other Government reserves, and large portions had also been set apart as church reserves. He considered it to be most undesirable that large quantities of land should be set aside in the principal streets, and the very centre of the town, for these purposes, and that as a consequence these lands should be withheld from sale and from private occupation. He thought that all the necessary accommodation required by Government might be obtained without the appropriation of large frontages in the principal streets, and believed that without any injury to public interests such arrangements might be entered into as would enable the citizens to purchase the lands in question, and thus bring large returns to the provincial revenue. These remarks, he said, would apply with still greater force to the church reserves. He disapproved of the principle of making two-acre church reserves in the heart cf towns. There was another class of persons whose equitable right 3 were affected by this system of reserves. He meant those v/ho had already settled on reserves, and who were now under notice that the lands they occupied were not intended to be sold, but were reserved for public purposes ; and that, therefore, they must clear out. He did not wish to trouble the House with a lengthened narrative of the facts involved in this question; those could be more properly brought before the select committee, who would have an op-

portunity of examining documents and of testing the accuracy of the statements made by the memorialists. He thought that what was asked for by the resolution ■was of an exceedingly moderate character, and such ns would commend itself to the consideration and spirit of fair dealing of the House. In selecting*, the members of the committee he had associated with himself one of the members for Westland, Mr Barff. He had also named Mr Duncan, a gentleman who had visited Hokitika, who was always welcome there, and who was acquainted with some of the particulars which would have to be brought before the committee; Messrs Hawkes and Wilson, who had both extensive business connexions in the town; he had also taken the liberty of naming the Provincial Solicitor, being desirous of obtaining the advantage of that learned gentleman's legal knowledge. Mr Barff said that he had much pleasure in seconding the motion, being fully aware of the importance of the matters alluded to by the hon. member, although he did not agree with him respecting the Church reserves. He would also suggest that the committee should report within ten days. Mr Dixon suggested that the name of the hon. member for the Rakaia (the hon. John Hall) should be added to the committee, as that hon. member had a most extensive knowledge of these reserves. The hon. Mr Haii said that he should have been very glad indeed to have sat on the committee had it been in his power to attend to its duties, but he could not, as from other engagements his time was necessarily limited. He should, however, be happy to attend the committee, and give them all the information in his power bearing upon the subject. The Provincial Secretary remarked that one of the members namtd ou the committee was at present on leave of absence. Mr Bright said that Sir Hawkes' leave of absence was only for a fortnight, and that was nearly expired. lie tru-ted that the hon member would return in time to act on the committee. Mr J. S. Williariis would support the resolution. From the nature of the statements made by the movtr, he must say he thought it highly desirable that tliere should be one of the "West Coast representatives sitting on the ministerial benches. (Hear, hear.) Mr Bright said that he might take it for granted, by the general acquiescence of the House, that the resolution would be assented to. He should have been most happy to have had the assistance of the hon. member for the Rakaia on the committee, bat he trusted^ that as a witness that hon. member would give the commit tee the benefit of his knowledge. He had limited the committee to six members, but he hoped to receive the co-operation of his hon. colleague in the representation of Hokitika, as he learned by telegram received that day that Mr Cassius had been returned, although he had also heard that his return would be protested against, on the ground that he was not a naturalised citizen of Few Zealand. He (Mr Bright) begged to state that a most distinct assurance had been given by his Honor the Superintendent on his last visit to Hokitika during an interview with certain memorialists. His Honor did use language which was then interpreted to mean — and which was still interpreted to mean — that he would appoint a Commission to enquire into the cases of those persons who had memorialised him respecting their equitable rights as affected by these reserves. His Honor was certainly most distinctly understood to promise that the matter should be looked into, and due consideration given to all equitable claims. The motion was then passed. POPULATION OF ■WESTLAND. Mr Bright moved " That there be laid on the table an approximate return of the gross population of Westland, on or about some given day in the month of October, showing the'number, distribution, and occupation of the people." He said that the information he bought to obtain would be exceedingly interesting and valuable, not only to the members for Westland and to the members of that House, but to the province at large and to the colony. He believed that, from the various returns made by the Wardens, the Resident Magistrates, and the police officials, the Government would have very little difficulty in supplying the information asked for. Mr Duncan seconded the motion. The Provincial Secretary said that the Government would have much pleasure in carrying out the views of the hon. member, and would supply returns which, although they might not be strictly accurate, would approximate to the real facts. The motion was passed.