PROTECTING ANGLERS
THEIR RIGHTS AT TAUPO
WHY ACTION WAS TAKEN
'ALL- NOW ON EQUAL FOOT-ING.
For somo time somo ill-feeling has existed among New Zealand anglers on account of the charges tho Maoris and their agents at Taupo and Tokaanu made thorn pay lor the right to fish in tho lako and the streams running into it. Early this year tho Bight Hon. Mr. Coatos, as Prime Minister and Native Minister, met tho Native owners of lands adjoining tho Taupo lako and streams, and as a result tho Maoris conceded their rights to the bod of tho lake and the streams flowing into it for an annual payment of £3000, together ..with half of any sum in excess of the £3000 received by the Government by way of license foes. The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. B. F. Bollard), who is in charge of tho fisheries in the district, said in a statement issued last evening that the aim of the Government in making the agreement with tho Maoris was to give all anglers equal rights to fish in Taupo waters. "There appears," said Mr. Bollard, "to bo much misapprehension as to the reasons that actuated the Government iv the action it took regarding tho Taupo fisheries. The position is not difficult to explain. Anglers who have' been in the habit of fishing in Taupo waters complained that tho action taken by certain persons debarred them from fishing in somo of the rivers and streams, notwithstanding that thoir license purported to authorise them to fish in various waters throughout the Dominion. It was found on inquiry, firstly, that the Natives made a charge for an alleged right to fish. This was subsequently modified to a right to enter on their lands; secondly, in other cases at the Tokaanu end of the lake :i large part of the river was in effect controlled by tho local hotelkeeper, who had huts oil various parts of tho river and on the island known as Tho Delta, at the mouth of tho Tongariro River. Anglers were prevented from fishing in various parts of the river except with the consent of the hotolkecpor, who claimed the right to apportion the waters and pools to the exclusion of all others." "RICH MAN'S PISHINa RESERVES." It has been fairly well known that the effect of the restrictions the Maoris and their agents imposed debarred in some cases persons who went to Tokaanu for the purpose of a day's fishing in the Tongariro River. "The majority of the persons who fished in portions of tb£ Tongariro River,'' said the Minister, '' were overseas visitors who wore generally able to pay more than the average Now Zealand fisherman could afford. Consequently tho river was rapidly becoming a -rich man's fishing reserve, and this principle was also creeping in with regard to other rivers and streams. In view of this, the Government realised that it was necessary to take some action to enable every angler to have a right to fish in Taupo waters. As a consequence it became necessary to enter into an agreement with the Native owners by which the question of the ownership of the waters might be defined. At a meeting between tho Prime Minister and the Native owners of tho adjoining lands, an agreement was reached whereby tho Maoris conceded their rights to tho bed of the lake and the Streams flowing into it iv consideration of an annual payment of £3000, together with half of any sum in excess of'£3ooo received by way of He-ensc fees, etc." THE LEGISLATION PASSED. Tho legislation passed last session gave effect to the agreement entered into with the Natives. That legislation vested tho Taupo Lake in the Crown, and a proclamation was issued vesting in tho Crown tho bods of portions of certain rivers and streams flowing into the lake. It also gave access and right of passage over strips of land a chain wide on each'site of such lengths of the beds of tho rivers and streams named iv tho proclamation. The legislation itself rcsorvos a chain width for public access across the bed of the lake. "Tho legislation," remarked tho Minister, "does not affect tho rights oi: the owners of European, land within the district at the date of the passing of tho Act on 11th September last. Provision is made, among other' tilings, that where any person having an estate or interest in land affected by the proclamation, or who is possessed of any valid rights of camping or fishing, is injuriously affected or suffers damage, he shall bo entitled to compensation, claims for .which will bo heard by a Commission which shall have all the powers and jurisdiction of Compensation Courts undor tho Public Works Act. ACTION IN INTERESTS OF __ ANGLERS. "it will bo seen that the action taken by the Government was initiated on behalf of anglers on account of tho numerous complaints from them that they were not allowed to fish in parts of the Taupo district, and in other parts wore only allowed to fish on payment of additional foes, but in giving effect to the wishes of anglers it was necessary that the Government at the same time should consider tho rights of the Native owners, and in like mannoi1. tho Government was bound to consider ratepayers who were not anglers. Moreover, it will bo realised that the Government took the steps mentioned with a view of protectingthe right of anglers, and of giving all such persons an equal right to fish for trout in any of tho Taupo waters. It must also bo realised that whether or not tho sum of i£3ooo is received by way of license fees, etc., that sum will have to bo paid to the Maoris by tho Government. FEES PAYABLE UNDER LEGISLATION. "In fixing the fees payable for the right to fish in Taupo waters," said Mr. Bollard, "it. was necessary to consider, firstly, the resident of Taupo; secondly, the resident of other parts of the Dominion; and, thirdly, the overseas visitor. The overseas fisherman' has to pay double as much as a resident, of tho Dominion (other than a Taupo resident), while tho resident of the Dominion pays double tho amount pnyfiblo by a resident of the Taupo district. The reason for the distinction between a resident of tho Taupo district and another part of tho Dominion is that tho Fisheries Act allows a person to fish on his own lands without a Heenso during the open season. This provision has been repealed, as far ns Taupo waters are concerned, and cvory person will, therefore, have to take out a license, though a certain number of free licenses will be granted to members of the Tuwharetoa tribe as part of the settlement of tho question."
Concluding, Mr. Bollard said that tho Department controlling the Taupo fisheries was naturally desirous of obtaining as much revenue as possible), as .1 considerable amount of expenditure Wiiiild ho necessary in order to givo ado
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