Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, MAY 11, 1928. NATIVE RESERVES

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 May 1928, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, MAY 11, 1928. NATIVE RESERVES

JT is good news to hear that, at last, there seems to be a real opportunity for the lessees of Greymoiith Native reserve’s, to acquire the freehold of their properties. Much time and effort have been given by some townsmen, notably Mr. F. A. Kitehingham and Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon, to bring about this reform, but, hitherto, such efforts have not succeeded in overcoming all the difficulties. The Maori owners. however, have changed their opinions, and are now willing to sell, if the price can be mutually agreed. There ought not. to be great difficulty about this, providing each side takes a ’reasonable view of the position. The deal will have to be on business lines. If the Native owners ask too much, the lessees will prefer not to buy; and vice versa. An impartial arbitrator, supplied with evidence from both sides, should have little difficulty in arriving at a fair figure for all concerned.

A public meeting is to be convened soon by the Mayor (Mr. J. W. Greenslade), and it is to be hoped that all tbe lessees of Native reserves in the borough, will attend. They will be told the “official” proposals, and will be asked for their opinions and any constructive suggestions they are able to offer. During the interval before the meeting, each lessee should give serious thought to the matter, and set down on paper the figures of expenditure connected with the leasehold system, and then an estimate of what he is prepared to pay for the freehold. In this matter, of course, each individual lessee, will decide for himself what he consid-

ers best for his own interests. Some may think that the acquisition of the freehold of their present leased sites would offer little financial advantage, whilst others will be eager to acquire the freeholds, in the former case, it is unlikely that many freeholds will go begging, as the certain growth of Greymouth’s

commerce, as the years pass, must add value to property in the commercial area. Town freehold sites are now one of the most popular investments by capitalists, and the high prices paid in the four cities have been relatively duplicated in most of the Dominion’s boroughs. That lead may well he'followed in (Ireymouth. On general business principles, freeholds are invariably preferable to leaseho'ds. providing the cost of conversion is reasonable.

There are not, perhaps, many topics upon which Greymouth residents are as a community unanimous, but they are about the fact that few things have retarded Greymouth’s prosperity and aesthetic appearance as the system of leased Native reserves. Much speech and writing have been given during past years to that topic, and there is no need to repeat here, 'jcoking forward, and not backward. is Ihe present duty. Townspeople should visualise what Greymouth could he like if propertyholders in the commercial area, were also the site-owners, free to erect modern buildings, without any fear that they might be called upon to pay extra ground-rent for the improvements they had made, or else see others reap most of the benefits. The residential freehold area of Greymouth can compare favourably with that in most towns in Xcw Zealand, and it cannot be doubted that this modernity is mainly due to the sites being freehold. Were the. commercial area similarly released, is it not reasonable to suppose that this part of Greymouth would be equally up-fo- < date, bringing general benefit to the whole community, and to visit- | ors and tourists. Greymouth now j has an opportunity it. should not ’ neglect. J