AGREEMENT ON MANGAKINO

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28973, 14 August 1959, Page 3

AGREEMENT ON MANGAKINO

Maoris To Grant Leases

(New Zealand Press Association) MASTERTON, August 13.

After almost 12 years of protracted negotiations, agreement has now been reached between the Maori owners of the area and the Government on the future of the Ministry of Works town of Mangakino. Under the agreement, businessmen and others wishing to settle in the town will be given security of tenure. Mangakino has a present population of 5000, and it is expected that after the completion of the second dam it will have a permanent population of not less than 2000.

The land on which Mangakino is built is leased by the Ministry of Works from Maoris of the southern Wairarapa, who. in 1896, agreed to sell the bed of Lake Wairarapa for the nominal sum of £3OOO, plus 683 acres of arid, scrub-infested pumice land on the Waikato river.

Some time ago, the 1000 Maori owners of the area formed themselves into a company, and, according to a spokesman for the Maoris, the company would grant perpetually renewable leases for business and residential sites in the town. The sites would be held under Glasgow leases, with a perpetual right of renewal and a review of rents every 14 years. The freehold of the land would remain with the Maoris, and would be entitled to a “full economic” rent based on unimproved value. Under the agreement, the Maori owners have agreed to pay the Crown £55.000 as compensation for improvements, such as roads, sewerage and water supply which have been installed on the land.