West Coast Settlement Reserves Lease Meetings.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2434, 23 May 1893, Page 2

West Coast Settlement Reserves Lease Meetings.

♦ • (FKOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Mr. Williams conducted tbe meeting between tbe Native owners of reserves and tbe leßßets, under tbe West Coast Settlement Reserves Act, 1892, at Manaia yesterday. The business passed off very successfully, and the natives evinced a desire to amicably adopt the provisions of tbe aot. The following properties were dealt with :— Sees 45 and 47, blk 1, Waimate, area 141 ac 3rds, unimproved, value £1100; value of improvements £258. After folly disoussing the matter tbe lessee agreed to take, and the Native owners agreed to grant a new lease at tbe upset rental of 5 per cent, on the unimproved value. Section 44, block 1, Waimate, area 81 acres 2 roods, 26 poles, unimproved value £567* ss, value of improvements £214. Present lessee Mr Wills. The upset rent of 7s per acre was considered excessive by the lessee. The native owners were, however, agreeable to acoept this amount Tbe lessee considered 6s per acre sufficient and if the Trustee would not rednoo it to this amount he deoide to throw np bis leaee. Seotion 58, blook xiii, Ngaire, area 115 acres, 1 rood, 80 poles ; unimproved value, £481 15s ; value of improve* ment3 £275 ss* Lessee, Mr Scott. In this case both parties ultimately agreed to stand by the Trustee's valuation of 5 per cent on unimproved value. There are several more oases to be settled to-day. Mr Williams gete through the business ezpeditiousty and apparently possesses the full confidence of the natives, which is a very essential point in dealing with them.