DESIRE TO REMAIN ON LAND

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 61, 7 December 1943, Page 3

DESIRE TO REMAIN ON LAND

Waiwhetu Natives

LETTER TO HUTT CITY COUNCIL A request by the Waiwhet'u tribal committee that the Hutt City Council make representations to the Government in support of proposals by the committee for the retention of the Waiwpetn native settlement by the Maoris was declined by the council at its meeting last night on the ground that the question was one for the Government. The proposals, which related to the taking of the settlement of 100 acres by proclamation under the Public Works Department Act for State bousing, were: "(I) While the necessity to utilize the land in the Waiwbetu block for the joint benefit of both pakeha anu Maori, we ask that the Maori be given the right to live his own lite with his own people on bis own piece of laud; (21 That out of approximately 106 acres affected by proclamation at least 30 acres in one block be set aside for the Maori people on which the Government should build a model pa, complete with meeting house, dining room, and other marae facilities, the area to be sufficient to provide for adequate cultural and recreational facilities; (3) That the financial liability of the present occupants for the new homes proposed by the Government be. not greater than their existing housing. In practice this would mean that the only liability be rates, as the existing houses are unencumbered and therefore rent free to the occupants.” • ‘Tn requesting your support for the above we wish to point out that wc were granted this land nearly 100 years- ago bv deed of gift guaranteeing our ‘present pa for all time’ in compensation for other lands seized by the New Zealand Laud Company and others.” says the committee. “Many of us are direct descendants of the original owners. We have our own social club known as Te Arolia, .for the purpose of continuing our Maori traditional life, in addition to raising money for patriotic purposes and entertainment. “On behalf of the people we guarantee to make use and maintain from funds of Te. Aroha.the meeting-house if provided by the Government. At present we are forced to use private homes and other public halls some distance away for our social purposes. “Our present homes are all freehold, the only liability being rates. Some of our home's are j« need of repair, but nearly all could be made quite adequate by the allocation of a comparatively small sum of money for. repairs from moneys held by the Native-Trustee on our behalf. This we have requested in the past without avail from the Native Land Courts. “We understand the Government proposes building new modern homes in place of our existing homes for those who have sufficient equity in the land as part security, the balance to be paid by way of mortgage. Those without adequate security will be provided with rental houses. We claim that we should be. housed at no. greater- financial liability than that existing on our present homes, which are rent free except for rates. "It is the intention of the Government to intersperse the Maori people among the pakeha residents. We wish our Maori community to remain intact so that our Maori customs, arts and crafts and traditional way of life can continue to be maintained.”