LAKE SHORES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 196, 19 August 1936, Page 10

LAKE SHORES.

RIPARIAN RIGHTS. COMPLICATIONS QUESTION. CONTROL OF FISHING.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The importance of preserving for the public the riparian rights round the lake sides in New Zealand, was emphasised by the Minister of Lands. Mr. Langstone, in the House of Representatives to-day, during consideration of the estimates of the Department of Internal Affairs. The question was raised by the Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata (National, Eastern Maori), who asked whether Maoris were

entitled to any compensation for the loss of the riparian rights on the shores of Lake Taupo and other lake 3. The Minister said he did not think the Native Department was free from Maine over the riparian rights question. When the Crown acquired any native land the lands round lake side's could be preserved. but when native lands were sold to Europeans there was no such protection ..given. People from overseas bought natice. land on lake shores to secure the exclusive fishinir rights, and he was of the opinion that in future the sale of any native land should not carry with it the sale of the liparian rights. The present Government, said the Minister, was not responsible for the state of affairs that existed, and He considered that the previous Government should have taken steps to have avoided the complications that had arisen. Land Transferred. The best of the areas on the lake shores, he understood, had already ueen transferred, and the Government might have to make provision for taking over areas that interfered with the rights of the people to have access to the water

ways and lake beds. The Government, said the Minister, went to great expense to advertise New Zealand overseas, but some people had been a bit shrewd and taken advantage of the position that existed in order to secure monopoly rights. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Forbes, suggested that the matter was of Such importance that the Minister should have it inquired into. Mr. S. G. Smith (National, New Plymouth) asked whether, in view of the decision of the Government to appoint a number of under-secretaries, it would

see to it that one Minister was placed in control of fishing; in New Zealand. The Prime Minister (Mr. Savage) : If the honourable member will ask a serious question in a serious way he will be given a serious answer. Mr. Smith said he was quite serious about the matter. He had been told by overseas visitors that the finest fishing in the world was to be obtained in New Zealand, but there were several Ministers in charge of fishing. Why Not Before? The Prime Minister asked Mr. Smith why he did not do something about it when he was a member of the previous | Government. I Mr. Smith retorted that he was only lone member of a party, and he could not do everything he wanted to do. The I Minister of Internal Affairs, he said, knew the difficulty that existed. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. Parry, said that claims for compensation for the loss of riparian rights was a question to which lie had given close attention. It had to be decided whether these people had riparian rights at present, or whether the Government was going to tafce properties under the Public Works Act or otherwise. There was no dancing about the edge of the matter. As far as land in the future coining back to the Crown was concerned, the Government would stop the "drift" in regard to riparian rights being conceded to people buying land. "We will see to it that certain strips of land lying along rivers will be retained for the people," said Mr. Parry.