NATIVE LEASES

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 May 1928, Page 6

NATIVE LEASES

POSITION AT GREYMOUTH j FIGHT FOR THE FREEHOLD The fact that the business portion of Greymouth is situated upon Native Reserves has been a fruitful source of discussion, and dissension, for many years, and the lessees have made several abortive attempts to arrive at some arrangement, satisfactory to both parties, whereby the freehold may be purchased by the lessees. Another attempt is in train, and an endeavour is to be made to have a suitable Bill put through Parliament next session. With the object of getting together the pro-freeholders, Mr. Seddon, M.P., addressed the Greymouth Borough Council last evening, with the result that it was decided to convene a public meeting of lessees and others interested, next week, for the purpose of adopting suggestions for submission to the Maori representative, Mr. Urn, M.P., with a view to securing the approval of the Natives’ to the inclusion of the suggestions in the proposed Bill. Mr. Seddon (who was introduced by the Mayor, Mr. J. AV. Greenslade) stated that the question of the Greymouth Native Reserves had just been brought up again, and there was a possibility,i now that the Natives had changed their minds, of some arrangements being come to for the ultimate sale of the leases to the lessees. “The matter primarily,” said Mr. Seddon, “is in the hands of the member for the Southern Maori district, Mr. Urn. He was formerly opposed to the sale of the leases, but now has come around to the other way of thinking, and is anxious for some arrangement to be arrived at so that the lessees may have an opportunity of obtaining the freehold. He has not come to that decision without some reason. I am not going to bother you to-night with the position of the lessees, but they are put in an unfair position with the Finance Act of 1917. Since then, all the leases, both Native and European, have been

under the graduated tax, and the Natives find themselves not in the same position as formerly, although they received the assurance of the Minister of Finance that there would be no difference. From the Natives’ point of view, they are not getting the same income, on account of the Finance Act. The tax has gone up enormously, and they are not receiving the same amount as formerly. That is one of the reasons they wish to reach an arrangement for the sale of the leases. In 1922, the Minister in Charge of Native Affairs (Mr. Coates) introduced a Bill, which was rather crudely drawn, and did not meet with the approval of the people of Greymouth, because it did not set forth in enough detail exactly what the terms of, sale were. If I leave the papers with the

Council, we can later assemble in some convenient hall in Greymouth the people interested in the purchase of these leases, and get from them what they think are fair terms, and then get the Government to introduce a Bill next session.” Mr. Seddon went on to trace the history of the Native Reserves on the West Coast, and the various efforts that have been made to secure the freehold. The clause which gave rise to the greatest amount of consideration was that which proposed that the Native Trustee should sell the reserves “as he thought proper.” Mr. Seddon expressed the opinion that the Council would agree with him that the .clause was very crudely drawn. It did not state who the purchasers should be. They should insist upon the purchasers being the lessees. The question of price would also have to be considered. If a lessee did not wish to buy the freehold, there might be an arrangement for someone else to do so. The position of the lessee who was unable to pay cash also needed consideration. The matter of price

should first of all be referred to arbitration. The Native Trustee himself could not arbitrate, but would have to appoint an arbitrator. It had also been suggested that a system of payment should be arranged for lessees who could not find the cash, something similar to the system devised by the Advances to Settlers Department, the payments covering a term of years. That was a suggestion embodied in the 1921 Bill of Messrs Doogan and Kitchingham, which was submitted to the Native Affairs Committee in Wellington. But the principle of that Bill was entirely different from that of the later Bill, because, in the first Bill, it was proposed that the Borough Council should purchase the leases, and become the landlord. What should be avoided now was a transfer of land-

lords. If the clause went through as it stood, anyone could “hop ,in,” and they would simply be transferring the landlord from the Native Trustee to someone whom they might not desire. The rest of the proposed Bill did not affect the lessees. It referred to the disposal of the purchase money, in the interests of the Natives.

Really, he continued, the main point was the terms under which the leases were to be offered to the people of Greymouth. From the crude way in which Clause 3 had been drawn, if it went through it would result in hardships, and probably in land speculation at Greymouth. The Bill aimed at giving a fair deal to the Natives, the majority of whom desired to sell. The main point was to get terms of sale that would be equitable and agreeable to the Greymouth lessees. It was a matter not only for the councillors, but also for those who wished to buy the fi»ehold of their holdings. The people of Rotorua had the opportunity and they bought the freehold, and there was more stability about Rotorua now than ever there was before.

Mr. Seddon, in concluding, said he would leave the only copy of the Bill he had with the Mayor. Perhaps a committee could be formed, a meeting of all those interested could be called, and suggestions could be forwarded to Mr. Uru for his approval, with the object of having a Bill placed on the Statute Book this session. They should get to work early because the Law Draughtsman would be busy. If no time were lost, he was quite sure Mr. Coates would have the Bill brought down early in the session, and the matter would be settled once and for all.

The Mayor said that the matter had been before the citizens for years, but no amicable solution had been reached, simply because the last Bill brought down had not been satisfactory to the lessees. In fact, it gave all the authority to the Native Trustee. The lessees wanted to be very sure of their ground. The proposed

Bill did not set out the conditions as to price, or whether it was to be based on unimproved value, and generally it was very unsatisfactory indeed. The Borough Council to-day might be in a different position than it was some years ago in dealing with the matter, ft seemed to him that the only solution was to get the lessees together at a public meeting, and have a suitable Bill drafted, from the lessees’ point of view, to go before Parliament, ;is suggested by Mr Seddon, as early as possible. The lessees did not. intend to enter into negotiations unless they could have some reasonable understanding that they were going to purchase tlie land which, when they took it up, was in a very bad state indeed, and which they had improved and made valuable, as it was to-day.

They wanted reasonable safeguards as between, the Native Trustee and the lessees. Mr Greenslade added that he knew Mr Seddon would endeavour to get a suitable Bill through. He moved that Mr Seddon be thanked for his attendance, and that a public meeting of lessees be called next week on a suitable day. Mr F. A. Kitchinghain and his father had taken a very intelligent interest in the matter, and no doubt various citizens would be able to give valuable information, and some indication of what it was thought necessary to incorporate in the proposed legislation. Mr Seddon invited questions from Councillors on the subject, but none was forthcoming. The Mayor said he was afraid that, if the Council did consider the proposed Bill, it would be so altered when it got to the meeting that it would be very little use. Alterations were necessary to meet the approval of the lessees.

Mr Seddon explained that the Law Draughtsman would put any suggestions into legal phraseology. In seconding the resolution, Cr. T. B. Baty said that Mr Seddon had explained the situation very clearly. Personally, added Cr. Baty, he was one of the citizens who believed that the time had arrived when the freehold should be secured. Native leases , were one of the things that were holding Greymouth back. He would hail the day when Greymouth was made freehold. The resolution was carried. Cr. R. J. 'Williams suggested that it would be wise for Mr Seddon, the Borough solicitor, and the principal leaseholders to meet prior to the public meeting, and get a rough idea as to what to place before the meeting. There wouldprobably be many people who did not understand the position. He had a vague idea himself. “We have practically all the suggestions ready,” replied Mr Seddon. “Owing to the illness of Mr Kitchingham, junior, five or six suggestions have been drafted by Mr Kitehingham, senior,' which will meet the objections of the lessees.”