NATIVE TIMBER ROYALTIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 248, 18 October 1924, Page 13

NATIVE TIMBER ROYALTIES.

PETITION TO THE HOUSE. (Bj Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. On behalf of the chairman of the Native Affairs Committee, Mr. F. F. Hockly moved in the House of Representatives, "That there referred to the Government for consideration the petitions of Taroa Tc Ringitanga and seventeen others, praying that the Order-in-Council authorising approval of an agreement between the native owners of the Tiroa block and Messrs. Ellia and Burnand for the timber right be revoked." Mr. Mcllvride (Xapier) said that, while the royalties agreed upon some years ago might have been fair at that time, there was a great discrepancy between them and royalties paid in the neighbourhood of the bush in question to-day. The natives were given only 1/ per 100 feet.royalty for totara and 4d for other timbers. It was not right that they should get only 1/4 when others were getting as high as S/. Mr. A. Bell (Bay of Islands) said a fair price had been given the natives when the contract was first made, and the firm had acted honestly towards them. Hon. A. T. Ngata contended that the Maoris did not do badly under Messrs. Ellis and Burnand, and they would have the freehold after the timber wae removed. They did not want any suggestion that the Natives desired to repudiate old agreements. The firm had undertaken to increase the royaltiea by fifty per cent. The report was tabled.