NATIVE RESERVE

Grey River Argus, 21 September 1945, Page 5

NATIVE RESERVE

A Greymouth Obstacle

BOROUGH COUNCIL'S MOTION

Difficulties involved in the transfer of properties in certain parts of Greymouth owing to those parts being a Native Reserve were discussed at length at meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council last evening. The following motion was carried unanimously: “That the Government be asked' to introduce legislation to alleviate the difficulties under which Greymouth labours owing to such a large proportion of the Borough being Native Reserve—e.g.: Sub-divi-sions on narrow streets, taking of lands for public purposes and easements; and that the Mayor (Mr. F. A. Kitchingham), Deputy-Mayor (Mr. P. Blanchfield) and chairman of the Town Planning Committee (Mr. F. F. Bcustridge), consider the matters to be raised and to present them to the Government.”

Speaking to the motion the Mayor said that the difficulties involved-in. tho proposed alterations to Turumaha Street were a sample of what the Council had been putting up with ever since the Public Works Act, 1938, came into force. For eight or nine years the Council had been making efforts to carry out alterations to Threadneedle Street, but the land being Native Reserve, the Borough was cursed with a set of laws such as existed no where else in New Zealand.

If the property was freehold, continued the Mayor, they would have to get the consent only of the owners regarding the building line. As the land was Native Reserve it was necessary to get the consent of all the people in the street. Notwithstanding the representations which had' been made, persons who had j bought and paid for properties years - ago could not get the title to it. i Recently the Council had wanted to buy two or three small sections in Cobden for a play centre. Because the proposed sight was native land it was necessary to take up the matter with the solicitor to Native Re- ; serves. It was not possible to enter into a simple arrangement. “We have to get a plan made,’ said the Mayor; “we have to get a schedule of the owners and occupiers; we have to deposit the schedule at some public place; we have to publish notice of our intentions in the New Zealand Gazette; and we have to serve a similar notice to all owners and occupiers. We have to do all this because it is Native land.” “I ami heartily tired of all the ■questions which " have cropped up in regard to narrow streets in this town,” said Mr. Kitchingham. "1 hate slums as much as anything, but it would cost thousands of pounds to get anything done under these conditions. We are faced with an obstacle race every time we try to do anything.”