Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, APRIL 7th, 1910. GREYMOUTH NATIVE RESERVE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 April 1910, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, APRIL 7th, 1910. GREYMOUTH NATIVE RESERVE.

11' was ,1 very thoughtful and kindly .ict of his Worship the Mayor to extend his hospitality to Dr. Kitchett, who lately vacated the position of SolicitorCienora] in order Lo assume the Public Trusteeship on the retirement of Mr. J. W. Poynton. Naturally enough, on such an occasion as last night's function, great care was taken to eliminate anything which might be construed as coming within the realm of debatable matter. Even that was accomplished without undue taciturnity. Nevertheless Dr. Kitchett himself, by treading on thin ice very warily, was enabled lo make an important announcement regarding the official views held on the Grey mouth Native reserve in particular, and of similar trusts in general. In view of the commotion caused throughout the country, it is not surprising to learn that the Public Trustee himself is anxious to get rid of the responsibility of administering native trusts. The reason for such an opinion as lucidly sot out by Dr. Kitchett confirms the wisdom of such advice, which we were led to believe will speedily find Ministerial sanction. In a nutshell, it is held that the profit resulting from the handling of such matters, in nowise compensates for the loss of other business, of a more payable nature, which the Trust would have 1 entrusted to it, were it not for the adverse feeling engendered amongst some people on account of it being the representative of negligent and indolent landlords. Briefly this is the material (ispeet of. the question and its importance is such that Dr. Fitchett has no hesitation In stating his willingness to

recommend the Cabinet to make other arrangements for the administration of native trusts. What the Ministerial dictum eventually will be, remains to be seen, but that a Minister of the Crown and Mr. J. W. Poynton are in favor of the change, is a significant portend. That, however, is the larger question, though in its incidence it vitally affects " the residents of this town. As to the Greymouth Native Reserve, we are as much in the dark as ever, for the Public Trustee was very careful not to touch on a matter on which there exists such a diversity of opinion. The feeling, however, is becoming more evident every day that the possibility of the freehold being individualised is very remote. The greatest hope of the future lies in the municipalisation of the reserve. Under such a. regime, the people would have the collective control of their own

lands, and by electing their own administrators, per medium of the Borough Council, would be able to decide the terms of the leasing for themselves. Under such a system, long leases would be possible, whilst the incubus and inertia of native landlordism would disappear. In passing, it must be admitted that Dr. Fitchett was on very sound ground when he defended the action of the Public Trusl in regard to such reserves. Parliament created certain trusts for it In administer and if it had played fast and loose with them, the result would have been the loss of public confidence in the institution. Instead the trusts have been administered with strict fidelity and as a. consequence the Public Trust is recognised as a trust worthy and beneficent institution.