FREEHOLD OF NATIVE LANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 24, 28 January 1921, Page 4

FREEHOLD OF NATIVE LANDS.

■ -».-—.— KING CXKJNTRY CTJTICISM. (By Tele_rraph. — Own Oor*----<-____t_) OTOROHANGA, this day. The regulations in connection with the acquiring of the freehold oi native lease sections in native townships have juat been published, and have raised a storm of criticism from people in the King Country towns. The chairman of Otorohanga Town Board I Mr. F. Phillips) objects strongly to the clause requiring at least half of the lessees in a -Tibdivision to make application before the Government will move to buy on their behalf, and the Mayor of Te Kuiti (Mr. G. P. Finlay) is equally outspoken. The one favourable feature of the regulation. is that provision is made for defexTed payments, and, given that the freehold is acquired, an average payment of 7. per cent, of the value will pay off the instalments over a period of 10 years. Mt. Phillips advocated united action amongst local bodies to refuse to make further improvements, on the groundthat these only send up the unimproved value of the native townships and benefit the native owners and not the lessee-, who pay all the rates. Mr. Fin Jay suggests steps by local bodies and Chambers of Commerce t» have the regulations made workable.