THE KING COUNTRY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 537, 18 June 1909, Page 9

THE KING COUNTRY.

. . NEEDS OF SETTLERS. ■ A deputation of residents : from .the King Country waited' upon the . Minister for Native Affairs (Mr. J .Carroll) on Wednesday in - regard to matters connected principally with tho townships of Tauinarunui and ,T« Kuiti.. .Mr. W. 1/-Jennings, M.P.| introduced the deputation. ;• The Rev. E.- Ward, chairman of tho Taumarunui. Town Council, .brought. forward the question of obtaining ' a sum of money from tho accumulated rent how in the hands of the ■Maori Land Board:for! tho purposo.of carrying out drainage and Other works. The Maoris, ho ;said, were willing that one : half ot the tent should bo availablo'for the works in question, '•WtVlhs-chairman,' of the Maori Land: Board had: declined to give -his consent to thei proposal; 1 . .. •■■■ Mr..Elliott mentioned the wiJh of'the residents intotsted'.in. the Erection of a ,dairy factory at Piopio to' have ■ the . restrictions removed from tivo acres of Native land which it was desired to purchase as a site for the fac-;tory;-.\.y -•... Mr,' Boddie, of Te Kuiti, referred to the necessity ..of bringing Native land' in . the viefhl.ty.of towaships under tho provisions Of the Eating Act in regard to both special and ordinary rating, and particularly. with-respect to 'special rawsleviea for .lonil purposes. 1 Mr.-Carroll "said that it was. intended to dsal next session 'with tho' question, of giving financial, relief to . tho : Tanmarun'ui .Council. Application .hid been 'made to the President of the -Maori Land.Council to cwnt relief in tho meantime out of. the accumulated rents. '.Tilis oracial, hew?Ter, was .very; cautious, and h»u 'taken a technical'view of 'the matter by declining to do :as r«qnested without beipg given an,' indemnity,. He (Mr. Carroll) thonglit that m the money w&3 to be expended in improving the- assets of tho council, tho President might with safety have assented to their proposal. Mr. Jennings asked • whetherthe' Minister would givo the Town Council an indemnity so that it could proceed .with, its works. . Mr.- Carroll fcaid,he. thought, that they could jointlv'enter into something that would satisfy the chairman of, the board. In regard to the rite.at the dairy factory at .Piopio, ho believed - that- he had the' power to take land for suoh , »'puriioso, : lin-respect of .the matter referred to, by Mr. Boddie, tho Minister said that he ■would be pleased to visit Te Kniti during tho recess and go into tho matter thoroughly with the-residents ot both. races. "If," he added, "yqU can mark off special rating areas within winch .the Native owners receive eqnal advantages 'with-the. Eirrcrpcafls, then I think that 'they should be called upon to bear an eqnal share of the burden."