PURCHASING THE FREEHOLD.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 302, 9 December 1922, Page 2

PURCHASING THE FREEHOLD.

AT TAUMARUNTJI. The Land Purchase Officer (Mr Thompson) is making good progress with the w’ork of purchasing the township of Taunuirunui from the natives. The township was formerly held under one block and was subdivided by the Native Land Court in March last into 25 partitions amongst 167 native ow’iiers. The Crown is purchasing in 18 subdivisions and the purchasing officer has been delayed in his work through having to obtain the necessary data in connection with the partition. Four more pieces of land were subdivided in November last and the Crown will not be able to purchase in those subdivisions until the middle of the month, when the time for appeal will expire. The remaining three subdivisions are being held over iu the meantime pending further particulars as to the valuations. The native interests, individually, vary from £2O to £5OOO and there is much work ahead before the task can be completed. All this would have been obviated if the purchase could have been pushed through before the partition was made. Twelve months ago the town could have been purchased in one block on the consent of an assembled meeting of ow’ners, but now the purchasing officer must, spend a considerable time in bringing small parties of ow’ners together and obtaining their consent to the sale.