NATIVE LEASES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LII, Issue 9189, 8 September 1906, Page 5

NATIVE LEASES.

COMPLAINTS OF OPUNAKE DISTRICT SETTLERS. QUESriOX OF UNIMPROVED VALUES. A deputation from the colonial con- , Terence of the Farmers' Union, consisting of Messrs Forsyth and R. Lambda (Taranakii and J C. Cooper (Wairarapa) waited op the Native Minister (Kon. J. Carroll) on Wednesday to lay before Mm complaints from settlers holding native leases near Opunake. Mr Forsyfch. said the term of the. Teases was coming to an end. They were held •for 21 years with a right of renewal on revaluation. -The rental was fixed upon the unimproved value. The grievance of the settlers / was that the unimproved \alueo had risen, according to the Government valuations, to such_ an extent that I there would be no value in the leases at \ the- end of the present term. Some of the leases had run 15 or 16 years. Not ! public moneys had been spent' in the district. If public works hod been carried out there, the settlers could have.>understood' the increase in. the unimproved itcahies. It was thought that an amendment of the; Land Valuation Act might be the best way out of the difficulty.cWJiat. the settlers asked for was that the land should be taken tinder the Land for •Settlements Act, and; that they Should be allowed to purchase theirr leases; but there ,-were 1 , no.dodbt; difficulties) in the "way of tfoatjt as, the. land was under the control of jtfce Public, Trustee. -v, f - Mr,J. J., Cooper*. said, he had recently paid a visit to the Opunake district, .and had^Bpade it his -business to. find oat about ithejse * leases. The settlers had taken up the land -on- the. understanding <<<ha£ at the end of their terms they were to get faitt compensation for their improvements, including bush-felling, draining, > and > the of, roads, far. which they had ( raised .rfche^ moneys .The. Government ! valuers, -iir valuing the land for local ratting.purposes, had,. at first allowed good value x for improvements. More recently 'the value of these improvements had been j^dded^ to . the', unimproved value of tha j land. The Assessment Court had refused ' to entertain the appeal of, the settlers foi the lowering of the unimproved- values, because it was ' a matter affecting the owne^,, who was represented by the Public , Trustee. , , Mr. R. Lambie was of opinion that the fault lay in the Valuation, of Lands Act. He mentioned that the native owners also ,a,.Krievaace.. The value of the land | vested in the Public Trustee was assessed collectively, «md full- rates were charged. Thds would nob Id© so if' the titles wapo individualised and held by the - natives ' themselves. He did not' think the natives wanted to gain, an unfair advantage front the 'settlers, nor the settlere from the naj {ive& But 'the position was complicated; .nearly the whole c/t'tikto value of improvemehts had' been added to the unimproved valjoe. - Mr . Cooper remarked that, on account !of ' ' the coihing revaluation, . t&e ; settlers were allowing" their homings to fall into a deplorable condition If matters" continued' as at present', the land would in a few" ? years'bo"ln such a condition as to be of little value to the native owners or to anyone else. . ' '.' Mr^Dambie said there was a little bay at'^DptinaJSe which could with a little improvement' be^mkde' suitable for shipping, but the settlSrs^'wouTd 1 not' improve it, lest they should add v W the unimproved! 'value 'of their' Holdiiga as assessed by th« 'GoVernmetot'-yalleV i: The Hsi. fitf Gaitolli in reply; said the land referred' !t to had •'beefl returned to the 'nativfea' unde^ special conditions/ 'the' whole territory'- having been in' the firs* pilfer- cohfiscated.' ' The 'land was given ( back on the distinct understanding* that '- it waato be inalienable by way of sale. In 1892 he- had himself conducted 'the West Coast Settlement Reserves Bill tbrough^thfc&Housk It was agreed by all that the estate should be placed under the control of the Pubtro Trustee. ,In the regulations made under 'that' Act there was » limit provided to the amount.that might be allowed to tenants? for, improvements, : .thetv guiding principle being-, that no one should be allowed to 'improve" a native . .ovgner oiit. of his estate. - At; first the only ; pei?ons- who. hoi', a grievance wane the •■native; oj^w, .who, ttook a hostile, attitude ail^'gJongp. Th^difgculty, of, which the deIjut^tipn , complained, bad; not r been fore- . .the, time. The.har^ahips of the settfers were due to tfc© vakat^ons of the day?/ jlt.wa^^ruo. aT^tha^the native owners toad a grievance. They weane* being wroßgfnlly,«.,tax^d. r; $hey ; , were taxed i.thfong^ti^ Public. Trustee. on the whole of tieir land, wbere^if. they ,fcad indi-vid^^/D^eprah^-th^ywouHb^. exempt y , w^ afraid,; however,,..that-indiyiduaKs- \ g<# over, the diflkulty, as the Hanil would be etUl under the Public i, The Act^ would. sttU look to the ■ Public TrusWias^thepOrjginal, owner. It had never been intended 'tKat it should be so, but t*at.<w^fhe reading of the Act l>y the Land Tax. Department. He con - .sidered.that if any- turending clause were , passed at should take into consideration the position of both tenants acid, the na(t/iyes. In regard to iho proposal of sale, I -theyshonld not look tor any assistance in. \ that' direction. Htr was «ot. in favpr of i that pioposal. They should, be true to the original contracts. However, he would 1% consult with the Public Trustee, and it might be possible to aajust the valuations of these lands. It was a general complaint that" the valuers raised the unimproved "values of. land. Consciously or unoonr sciously they added the improvements to [ the unimproved valuea Mr Cooper : You can't altogether blame r the' Valuers,' because the improvements ; disappear. 1 The Minister mentioned the case of an Oeo settler who had complained of the 1 valuation placed upon his land, and had j given up his lease. Yet when the land vna» ' sold, ffc brought considerably more j than 1 iihe upset price. — New Zealand ft Tones. .

(Continued from page 2.) I can disouss the eituation -intelligeotttly." "By all that's good and great?, Mr Carter, what do you mean by such conduct ?" . Gilmore now demanded, with on attempt to resume his composure. "You 'don't . think we know aught of Stella Coburn, I hope?" "By all that's base and wicked, Gilmore, I know that you know all about her," Nick sternly answered. "I am here ; to invite you to confess the whole truth, moreover, and turn the giri over to me. The question is — are you going to do it?" "But, man alive!" exclaimed Gilmore, "we know nothing at all about " "You keep quiet for a minute, Jimmie, and let me talk with this blockhead," Maggie Gilmore here interrupted, without taking her gaze from Nick's face. "I'll soon get at what he ' 6 driving." "That will nob be at all difficult," retorted Nick dryly. "For what atie you here, anyway " "To force you into a confession of the truth." • "About what?" , "AJx>iit> the rascally game vat you two and others have been playing." "I don't know what you mean." "Now come, Mns Gilmore, this wiJl not do at all," Nick sternly protested. "I want the truth from you two, and I'm , going to get it — that small part of it which Ido not already know." s "So you know something, do you?" "Considerable." "I would not have believed- it, V sneered the woman, with a scornful siurug of her shoulders. '.'What do you know, please, that warrants the attitude you hare ae- • sumed here?" "I know' that you, Mrs ' Gilmore, instead of having been all, have been away from Toronto ion upward of a week," said ■ Nick. ■ . • 1 "That is not so! Doctor Gelley will testify that I " • , • "When Doctor Celley testifies," Nick sternly -interrupted, "it will be -before a court and a jury, and not from the wit-ness-box, but from the prisoner's dock. I know that. Doctor Celley is one of your confederates." "Are you mad!" Maggie now cried, . with a gasp. ' ' "Not at all." "Why, then, do you say .this?*'' "Because it is true." "Absurd! On what do you base suoh a statement ?'*• "On the reliability of my own eyes." ' "Your own eyes?" - v "Which first saw yoVin' Fordham, Mfß Gilmore, on the morning' of Maxtia \ Cobum's deaih." ■*', •; «'■'*' H[ t \ "Saw "me ? Impossible. ' " °_V^ 4 , "Quite the contraryl"^ ' , '','.. c - ) "You^saw Stella Cobura there^if •anybody." ' • - s>r /, '- 1 „"1 saw- you, Mrs Gilmore, a4> the > time I called with Doctor Barton to "examine your uncle's body," declared Nick, a*fc- - " fully inviting her into & self -betrayal' \?y some impulsive retort. But .Maggie. .Gilmore, though she hqw began -to keenly; realise .her desperate^ poaU tion, ■. wds.* rendered only "doubly ■qaiutio^s, and guarded ' 'her» ©very word. , *• * "I- know nothing of that, Detective Car,tex," she cried. "I was. not thi^e]" r 'T faiow you were." ,_' ' "Impofisible:"' •■.-'• ■'" "I know also that a. trunk was used for sending Martin Obbutrn's body to Buffalo/ added Nick; "and that his casket was used- for another purpose." • j "What;gp«spit)ee? IJ •• -:; .'^ ; '\ "To Temove^SieHaCobujm to Buffalo. J' "Oh, .1 sayi-.'Mndartea:,.you m^St fkve beendreamifig!" 1 Gdlmo»6 now protested, with an assurance given >tne : lie by im ghastly countenance. ' "Yon don't really think that Stella Gobuxn -was aent from New York to Buffalo in 'bar > uncle's casket?" "I do better, Gilmore," arid, Ni«k, bluntly. "I really fcnow. it." "How so! 1 ' "I saw her in tbe owket." "Where?" ' . , ' "On .the train." , . " • ' ' • ~ l Xtril opened it?" "I did." "For what reason?" 1 "To, dispel my suspicions, or to verily them." "But this is really absurd," declared Gilmore, with a calmness quite at variance with has earlier perturbaiion. "The casket and Martin Coburn's body were seen immediately after their arrival by tbe reporter you mentioned' thjs very morning." ■ "I know all about that," said Nick, impressively. "How do you know about it 1 ?" 1 ' • "Because I was the reporter," Nick bluntly admitted. Gilmore's jaw dropped perceptibly.For the first ume the light of terrible fear appeared in tbe frowning blltck 'eyes of his wife. ' ' You.' "were Sibley?" she gasped, with lips twitching nervously. " ' ' 4 "Yes, I was Sibley." "And Doctor Kennedy?" "And Doctor Kennedy!" "You are a fiend — a very devil!" muttered the woman, scarcely above her breath. "As I said, Mrs Gilmon?, haonsh epithets will "avail y>u (nothing,*' Nick sternly repeated. "I am here to receive a complete confession from you and your bus- , band, or to place, you both under arrest I know that you both-: — " "You know far. too much, Mr Carter for us to beat Jonger about, the bush,' Gilmore now interrupted,' wtbh.a hopelesi groan.. "You've made it' plain enougl that we must -meet the .matter squarely so I'll confess, the whole truth.""Are you mad, Jimmie!" hissed hi wife, with a half-smothered cry of die may. .* "Are- you mad or^ " "Oh, there's nothing more to it," 'Gil more curtly put in, *wdth- despairing ges tare. "Can't you see fix yourself,^ Mag gie,t'hat this man knows ten times mor ■ than he has told ? We may as well thsxn .vp our hands, for we're in a corner. " "You're a fool! '

"As for you, Mr Carter," Gilmore moodily growled, not heeding the inter- ~ ruption, "you're aright enough jji some of your statements, the devil take you, but entirely wnong in othetrs." "Ls that .so?' 1 queried Nick, a bit derisively. "Yes, it's so, declared Gilmore. "Since we must now face the music, for I see plainly that you have beem on our track from the start, I may as well set you entirely right." "You'll find that to he the best move, Gilmore, that you can make." "If I didn't think so, Mr Carter, I shouldn't make it," retorted Gilmore, with* a covert sneer. "Let my wife step to the telephone, there on the wall, and call Kramer over 'here. He is one of our neighbors, who can give you some few facts of which ' x am ignorant. There's nothing eke to be done, and if by doing this we can avoid immediate araast You wait a moment, Maggie! Don't hint at what has ocuasredi here or Hold on, you jade! I'll call him myself!" Nick Carter w£s not less alert than usual to head off any move against him. The telephone to which bis attention -had been called ihung on the wall of the adjoining hall, directly opposite the open door of the room, and within eight feet of where the detective was 1 seated. As long as he : had the. woman thus in plain sight, ixuck had no objection to her calling Kramer, for he was now resolved to arrest the three, and >he allowed' the woman to pass into the hall. The moment Gilmore stairted to Bis feet to follow her, however, despite that his late ' submission had appealed perfectly genuine, Nick also sprang up from has chain. "You wait right - heTe, Gilmore," he sharply commanded, as t»he latter reached the door. ■ "Your wife can call him up as well as you, and give him any message you " But Nkk got no farther with- his threatening command. ' ■ Gilmore, with a look of disgust, had j turned back as if to obey, thus throwing Nick, for a single instant, off his guard. In that single instant, however, with a snaafl, with a fierce flash' of his eyes, and with a countenance transfigured with bitter hatred,. .Gilmore dealt Nick a blow lightning-like in its rapidity, and whioh sent the detective reeling against the table. v ; j, ■ Them he sprang with a. bound like that of a leopard outvof Tth* room— and Nick heard the clash! of tbe closing door, closed by the. miscreant's wife, and the quick metallic snap of automatic .locks.. ' \ j He was left in 'Egyptian-d arkness. From the hall came the mocking ring of a^jwoman's laughter, .then a series 'of scireams of mingled relief, exultation, and nervous delight. • " ; Nick instantly realised that he had been caught in a trap, that 'his situation was desperate. . . 1 Groping through the darkness, be found a chair, and, thrice it fell with sweeping blows upon the panels of the door. Then it broke to splinters in his .hands and the heavy door stall stood like an iron barrier between him and liberty.' Giving him a, thrill of,. horror and dismay, the odor of gas suddenly began to fill the room, a room as enclosed and tightly sealed as a metal casket. - ' With a frenzy he could not govern, Nick threw ihimself with all his weight and strength against tne door, again and again. . /„ x - * The efforts proved vain, utterly vain, and not a sound came from the hall a/3- . ' joining. - ■ „■■•*] 1 Already the great detective, despite nifl vast reserve strength, was yielding to the deadly fumes of "the inflowing gas, which seemed to enter^m..^-, hundred unseen openings. Nick .held his breath till he could hold it no longer, then his brain began to reel, and he sank gasping upon the floor. The last that the remembered was* a vaia, mad struggle fox air — and then all was -darkness. (To be continued.")