MORE LEASEHOLD GOING.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 241, 8 October 1920, Page 6

MORE LEASEHOLD GOING.

ROTORUA TOWN LEASES. PURCHASE AT VALUATION. STRONG OPPOSITION. itfy Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. It waa rather a coincidence that while the Legislative Council, was putting the seal on Government action in granting the freeho'd of certain portions of Tβ Aroha, that the Government should this afternoon brinj; forward another measure, the Rotorua Town Leases, a continuation of its policy of disseminating areas so long held as an asset to the Crown by reason of their leasehold tenure, Tho Rotorua Town Lands Bill seeks to confer-on lessees in that .State town the right to acquire the freehold. It was promptly' challenged by leaseholders, who were beaten on division by 38 votes to 25. The bill is similar to that before the House last session. It seeks to enable a lessee to purchase the freehold tenure at a price which will be the abrogate of the following sums: Amount of present value of rent for tlve unexpired term of the lease, 12 per cent, of the difference 'between the original value and tile present unimproved value in caee of town lands, or 8 per cent, in tho case of suburban lands, plus the present value of the Crown's interest in the land. Power is given to purchase by instalments, epread,over 1!) years. The Crown proposes to reserve all rishts to mineral springs or thermal I fpntnrPH, whether they appear before or after tho completion of the purchase. Any undisposed land* may be sold for cash or deferred payment. TENANTS' INSISTENT DEMANDS. The Minister of f>ands. explaining the bill, said that it had been framed in consequence of the insistent demand ot tenants for the freehold. It had been before the House before. Mr. laitt: And always rejected. "Since 1853,' , continued the Minister, "the only development of liotorna bad resulted from the expenditure of Government money. The township was one of wide national importance, and should be given an opportunity of* advancement by concession of the freehold." 'Mr. Parry: The demand amounts almost to -p'undor. "None ' of the natural assets ot Rotorua would bo conceded," added the Minister, ''but, to make it anything like it ousht to be. could only 'be brought about by finaneinl assist-ince. The Government proposal was the only reasonable solution." Mr. Parry: It's a regular Ned Kelly proposition. Referrinc to the Minister's statement thn't there hprl b<""i an insistent demand by tenants, Mr. Witty (Rieearton) said there had been a much bi<T!*er domatul for reduction of the cost of livins. but the OoverTiment had not <lnne much there. Tf .building on freehold property had deteriorated, tenants had allowed the nrocpss to sro on wilfully. The effect ot new tenure would be to enhance the post to the people of nature's sifts sit Rotorun. Accommodation terms and the cost of livinj there would increase, and beneficial waters would be beyond the reach of many invalids. The Government should look at the question from a national aspect. "I think we.are parting with national assets, and, before it can be stopped, all of them, including endowments, will be gone." He regretted that the Government was takinsr advantage of its majority to push their measures through. The fact that the bill was to be referred to a committee did not impress, him", as the evidence called would be one-sided, as in the case of Tβ Aroha. Mr. .J. McCombs (Lyttelton) expressed a hope that the earliest possible opportunity would he taken to oppose the action of a minority Government from bribing some of the people with assets belonging to the whole community. The Government was "pilfering" the people's estates for political and party advantages. Tens of thousands of pounds had been spent in developing Rotorna through the Tourist Department an<t other channels, and now this community created value, the direct result of State enterprise, was to be <riven away. "ACT OF SPOLIATION." Mr. D. «. Sullivan (Avon) hoped that a most determined fight would be put up nptinst this net of spoliation. If tlie Government was determined to pursue its policy, he did not think the method to be adopted was the correct one. The land should be placed under the hammer. "Simply throwing money away,'* was Dr. Thackcr's comment. The 99 years' lease was good enough security for anyone, it was a case of "pirating" pro--1 perties at Rotorua into the hands of'the I holders. He also supported the conteh- | tion that the only fair manner to disI pose of the land, if Government was adamant, was by public au.-tron. It was rather significant, he said, that in this new electorate, where a Tory member had been elected, thet the freehold was to foe given. Was it tho outcome ot an election promise? Haniner, the cold lakes resorts, and school reserves would fro next. "Why, even tha grass plot in front of the Parliamentary building will be sold." ho concluded. Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hu.'iinui) differentiated between this ]UJsc!o'l and tho Te A ran a leases.. The totter -wer.: under mining lease, nnd no alt'WAt'on could '>c njade in rentals. The whole of the revenue went to the local body, 'nnd the Crown got nothing. He waa'sorry the Government bad set out to do away with one of the last leasehn.M districts. He ridiculed the contention that Rotorua eou'd not develop w-hen i: hail n lease of 5)9 years. He thought rather that it was just part of the Government policy. After Mr. lsitt had testified to the reasonable difference of opinion which the 'Liberal party tolerated on the subject, the Hon. J. 'A. Hanan (Tnverc'argill) foreshadowed fhat the Government majority would force the bill through. There need not be any hurry about it, however, for "it was doubtful if people outside would wake up to. what the Government was doing until too late, then their 'assets would "be gone. He too was of opinion that the Government was only carrying out election promises. (He predicted that '-i public opinion was as indifferent and apathetic as at present the Government would do anything it liked. Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) said a majority of the people of New j Zealand did not stand for this , class of legislation. They had not Voted for this. It was qu'te true that the b 11 warintroduced last year, but the Government did not go on with it, probably not to jeooardise its prospects with the ""right thinking section of the community. The principle of th's bill was identical with that of the Te Aroha Crown Leases. He thought the member for : Lyttelton had 'hit the nail on the head I when he referred to the impetus given I to the value of land by Government expenditure. This barefaced action, re-

minded him of » certain 6tory in the Arabian Nights, tmt the difference wae that in that story there were 40 people involved, in this 45. NO LAND REVENUE SNOW. "Sir Wm. Herries, as ex-member for the district said that no revenue was coming from Rot'orua lands. The roade at Rotorua were notoriously bed and when the freehold was granted it borough would 'be formed, and ratepayers would have to care for the advancement of the , borough. The State would retain the , whole of the thermal regions. Mr. 'E. Kellet (Dunedin North): For I how long? ' Mt. IPa'fry: Till the next election. . Holders, continued Sir Wm. 'Herries, would have to pay land tax; in fact the ' State stood to gain in every way. Sir Joseph Ward had always favoured J Rotornn getting the freehold, and he thought the present Leader of the Opposition, who was absent, did also. '■ Mr. H. E. Holland ('Bullcr) averred ■ that the Labour party were true successors of (Ballance and Seddon, and would fight the bill in everp manner. It ' was a matter which affected the well ' be'ng of the people. Every inch of ' Rotorua shoultl be Conserved, else the : community of to-day and the future would suffer. ! THE DIVISION LIST. The division was then taken and resulted as follows: — AYES (38). Anderson Luke Kitchener Lysnar Bollard McT*od Burnett McNicol Coates Mander. Dickson, J. M. Massey fDickson J. S. Nosworthy Field Parr Glenn iPoland Outhrie I'omare Hamilton, A. Totter Hamilton, J. R. I'owdrell Henare Reed Herries Rhodes, R. 11. Hockly Rhodes, T. W. Hudson Smith W. Hunter Stewart Jones Sykee Lee Wilford NOES (25). Atmore Mite Well Bartram Newman, A. K. Edie Nsata Forbes P a JT Fraser Savage Harris Sidey - • Holland Statham Horn Sullivan , Howard Thacker lsitt • ■■* Veitch Kellett , Witty McCombs Wright Masters PAIR. AYES: Newman. NOES: .Hanan. The bill was then read a first t mc. an<J now stands referred to the Lands Com•I mittee.