NATIVE RESERVE MEETING.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 5310, 3 October 1885, Page 2

NATIVE RESERVE MEETING.

A public meeting was held last night at t*he Town Hall for the purpose of considering the question of the Native reserve leases. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair. There was a large attendance of townspeople. The Mayor opened the business before the meeting, pointing out that it was exceedingly desirable the lessees of the Native reserve at Greymouth should acquire a freehold of the properly. He then called upon Mr A. R. Guinness, as one of the lessees and conveners of the meeting, to lay the matter before the meeting. Mr Guinness said it was quite clear from their experience that Greymouth would not advance to the extent they had a right to expect unless the land was held as treehold. This of course was a question that equally affected the lessees and sub-lessees. But he had no doubt that after the question was carefully discussed there would be very little difficulty in arriving at a settlement. It was with that view that Government appointed a Royal Commission to inquire into the whole case. Sir Julius Yogel, who was virtually the head of the Government, was of the opinion that the interests of the Native owners would be best considered by purchasing ■ the property risht out and investing the ! money for them, paying them the yearly interest, and thus avoiding the .cost of management, which they knew to be very heavy at present. By doing away i with that they would confer a great ' advantage upon the Native owners. After pointing out various other features, , of the case, Mr Guinness concluded by moving the following resolution : — , " That a committee representing the , lessees and sub-lessees respectively be J appointed to collect evidence and make ' ; suggestions to present to tha Royal ! Commission for obtaining the freehold of j 1 their holdings, or if a freehold is not i obtainable to offer suggestions for the i improvement of the present tenure." .: Mr M'Gavin seconded the motion. \ Mr W. H. Jones pointed out that the resolution involved a contradiction, bej cause the interests of the lessees and sublessees were not the same, were in fact antogonistic. Consequently in passing the resolution put before them they would be placing themselves in the position of a plaintiff and defendant engaging the same legal adviser. He argued at some length to show that it was impossible that any one committee could fairly represent <! he diverse interest* of the lessees and

sub-lessees. His idea was that two committees be formed, one to represent the lessees and the other to represent the sublessees. He would therefore move .an*. amendment in that direction. Mr Edward Martin seconded the amendment. Mr Girdwood said that whatever they did they should be unanimous. Mr J. Kerr said that it seemed to him the first thing it behoved the meeting to do was to pass a resolution affirming the desirability of the people of "Greymouth acquiring a freehold of their property. After laying down that proposition, then the two committees could confer and lay their views before the commission. That it seemed to him was a necessary preliminary. Mr Jones asked to amend his amendment by making it read that both committees should confer and lay their views before the commission. At this stage Mr Guinness and Mr Jones withdrew the resolution and amendment for the purpose of first passing the resolution indicated by Mr Kerr. Mr Matheson seconded Mr Kerr's resolution. : ! Resolved that the tenure of the Native reserve at Greymouth be converted into a freehold as speedily as possible. ( Mr Guinness then moved' the resolution which he had already read to the meeting. He thought a committee of 12 should be appointed. Mr D. M'Lean seconded. I Mr Jones then moved his amendment. His idea and that of Mr .. Guinness were very, much alike, except that he held that it would be more logical and proper that there' should be two committees instead of one — that is six representing the lessees and six the sub-lessees. Mr Hildebrand seconded Mr Jones's amendment. . It was then agreed that Mr Guinness's resolution be amended so as to read two committees instead of one. j Mr Coates contended that six was not enough. There ought to be 12 on the committee instead of only six. The question was of far too much importance to be dealt with by six men. Mr Sheedy addressed the meeting on the amounts paid for tenancy, and said that according to the high rents paid' they ought to be allowed a seven years' purchase, or 10 at most. That would be a very fair average. The motion was then put and carried. Mr Guinness then moved that each committee consist of 12 members. Carried. When the question =of appointing committees, came up, Mr M'Davitt moved that no original lessee, who was also -a sublessee, should be allowed on the committee representing the sub-lessee. Mr Kent suggested that the difficulty could be overcome by asking each member to declare before going on the committee how his sympathies were. Mr M'Davitt then. withdrew his motion. The following gentlemen were appointed to represent the original lessees : — Messrs Guinness, Sheedy, Hildebrand, Joyce, Blackmore, Elmer, M'Davitt, Campbell, Kent, Coates, C. Smith, and Matheson. The following gentlemen were appointed a committee to represent the sub-lessees: — Messrs Jones, Murphy, Girdwood, Petrie, J. W. Hall, G. W. Moss, Laing, M. Phillips, J. Kerr, Pentelow, M'Call. Mr Jones was appointed the convener of the sub-lessees, and Mr Guinness the convener of the original lessees. It was agreed that the members of the committee should remain behind after the meeting broke up to arange details. A vote of thanks having been passed to the chairman the meeting broke up.