A STRONG PROTEST.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 557, 12 July 1909, Page 9

A STRONG PROTEST.

LAND TAKEN FOR PUBLIC ROADINC. ■ ; OF COMPENSATION.; (ByTeieErapb.—Special Correspondent.) 1: -' : >'■ -'-Napier,. July.9. , ■ ■-■Mr.'■■ Eustace' Lane,, representative of _ the Orowa;toriaats on tho HawkoV Bay Land Board, made a protest at a meeting of tho board this morning, regarding certain portions of the holdings of lense-in-perpetuity tenants,boing-taken lor public roading without compensation, beingallowcd. :■:'■".' 'Mr. .Lane wrote refusing to'. pay.-rent on his own ; section' ; at Marackalcabo until he was compensated for the damage to his fences and improvements, and his rent-reduced owing to.a road haying been cut through:his property. --'-■' . ".-,; : , • •/•.» ■' >? Tie Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr. T. ,N. Broadrick) said he thought. Mr. Lane .was wrong in refusing to pay his. rent,: although he sympathised'with him in his posi- ( tion. -.;- ■'■'■, ," -'■ ",-.■'•'..'• .;.' r '■.■,■■ '■"', iv : " Mr. Lane '.said.' he', wanted. members of .the board.to forget him personally, in the matter. He wished them to consider, the" case of Li.p'i tenants' who had 'thoir land resumed ■for. public purposes./ ■~(■ _ '".-,■;'■ •;' - : ;■:,'■;;. \A , ,The commissioner explained that the djfficiiliy was that the -registrar .had refused: to register Mr.'Lane's amended title owing .to. the evident.want of somo mechanism;in tho ActY ; ; The matter of compensation was pro-' 'vided > for;unde'r Sub-section' B of. Section'l4 of /the Land Act, 1908 v :;, ',:.-; ■' ■ ■.■ r :f;:>. ."•■-'•' 1./ Mr." Lane' said he. was'not' in ,a' position ; .to, - fight/tho State, and farm ' liad- ; r 'been smashccl up. 1, 'He could not ,gct proper grazing because' his fences had been broken. He contrasted his .treatment with that accorded to -Natives connected with. 1,50,000 acres of tho .Waiapu Block., A ■'sitting/of the, Native Court was held to consider this matter,'but none of,the Natives bothered to' appear, and the Court adjourned for a'week. He'hold a lease.for-999.-.ycarsj'.and: yet-for public ;pur--poses/the State could come in and break his' fences and .the.'surface'"of his! farm without paying iny'attention.to his please.' I :'rhere : was :a; marked/distinction between th'e .terms of-, .fered' to Natives, whose old: agreements were'' very -flimsy,--and (the,ternis-oiTered- to ' white, ''settlere.^ v ■inableiv. ■•■'■"'•<', :';■■' ,: '' ) .'>';■.:, i ;••■. ;-•//' v / ; .:.-:■( ■:';'(Mr. /Wright':/'■..Do you .mean; to. say that..! when the Government wanted your land: you; receiyed/'nd notice.whatever?' • > ' .. \. '"' '■■ 'S ..'.■'Mr/'Lane: J. have'received ;;no notice what-. 'ever;-;:-; \ ! ;< v:'-.- ■'•,.■, ; '■-_//''■ '■''' ' ■■', :.,Mr.:Groom:. It.has been;gazetted. •.';.':; V- Mr..!-Lane said ifchad/bcen gazetted when ;his :land;.'was';taken/ .There.had been.seven different 'surveyors',on his property,on seven different: occasions,'. /He- could.; give '■';. their .names/ ; Continuing,; Mr.- Lane said -that the road - ciit' through his farm was of - no use, but;it; : had-made'him ; liable for.:£100-worth or-fencing.v ;- ; ': ; -'■'■':'--'H- •'-'■.'.' - * In: the: course:of 'further; discussion, it was ' Suggested; that-Mr/ Lane-, should'go to -Wellington:' but'-Mr: Lane said ho would:not do , that. He had had ■enoijgh'.-.of Wellington. ■■- .could' promise that Mr. : Lane ; would get' justice fas soon- as.

it could bo done. I Mr. Groom, asked if Mr. Lano could not apply to the Roads Department. < Mr. Lane said that there should bo sufficient administration in this country for all Departments to work together. , i Tho commissioner said this, was not tho | trouble. The lands had to be taken, and Mr. Lano was entitled to a reduction in rent equal to twice tho value of tho land taken. ' If tie lessee objected to tho valuation it could bo referred to arbitration. ' Mr. Lano: Why has that not been done? Tho commissioner said ho did not know, as he was not hero at tho time. Tho difficulty was that the registrar hold that ho had not sufficient power to register tho title. Ho (tho speaker) had not had time to do anything further than meet tho .registrar and put the matter forward for further consideration, bat thore seomed to be some difficulty, to register, the amended title. He hoped to bring ttys matter, to a head as-soon as possible. - ' ,\,- , , Mr. Lano: I hope it is brought to a head. 1 Until it is I refuse to pay rent. The commissioner: "If you do not pay you. I may lose your rebate. v- . ; \ l , - ■Mr. Lane: I will chance that again. ' • Tho commissioner: Well, will .someone move a motion of sympathy wi& Mr. Lane? Mr. Lane: I don't want any sympathy. (Laughter.) , - - It was then decided, on tho motion or Mr. Groom, seconded by Mr. Wright,' that the matter be referred to the oommissK>m/r for immediate attention. Mr. Lano then gave notice to move: That in tho opinion of tho Hawke's Bay Land BoaTd, a prompt solution of the Native land •difficulty could bo brought about by, resuming forthwith portions suitable for public purposes,' and settling claims after, as is flono with pakoha l holders .of the lease-m----perpetuity leases, and if the Natives do not bother to attend, tho Courts should not ad; journ, but confiscate all supposititious claims." ,