TE KUITI LOAN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 99, 18 September 1908, Page 2

TE KUITI LOAN.

Provisional Consent Granted. Specula! ion Ims been rife of la to as to the fate of the appiieat am for a loan of £2OOO under "The Leans to Local Bodies Act." by 'To Kuit.i township residents. through the Waitomo County Council. A poll of ratepayers was taken in connection with (he proposed loan some time ago, and was. carried without a single vote being' recorded ' against it. The application for the loan was duly forwarded to (he Treasury, hut until this week no reply had been received, and it. was thought by a great many t,haf the (enure of the security had proved a bar ;<> th< granting of the loan. However, on Tuesday last Mr Jor. Ormsby received telcgram from Mr Jennings, member for the district. to the < ffert thai <hc lean had received the provisions! approval ol the Tresaury. ]{ now remains- f<r the Council to fulfill tin usual formalities* to the satis fact ion of the au t horities and the money will be available for expenditure on (.own improvements. TOWNSHIP MATTERS. t*iscvsscd by Cownfy Council. At the la.st. meeting of the Waitomo County Council, Councillor Ormsby j introduced the subject of townships within the County, and outlined the resolutions passed at the recent conference of township delegates held at Otorohanga. which included s. request that the Council should appoint a delegate to accompany the townships deputation to Wellington. He moved that j a delegate from this Council he ap- | pointed to go to Woiiingi.-n to support ■ the delegfaes 'rent To Nniti and OtoI rohanga' m comiectien with local ratling: the removal of restrict ions and any other matters of importance to the County. i Speaking to the motion Cr Ormsby expressed the opinion that, the Council ! was directly affected by the matters reierred to. which not only concerned the towsnhips, but. the whole County. Me cited the case <>f the settlers on the W aiteti road where the land was nearly a!! Native Ica.se. Ibidm- existing conditions it would lie impossible to raise a loan on that: road nnli ss the responsibility was home by one iwo Crown settlers. These things and many others could, be personally attended to by a delegate in Wellington. In addition the requests of each would be mutually strengthened and supported. Councillor N T . 1. limit, supported the motion on the understanding that all t !:e (ie)ega Ps worked together on all the subjects within the scope of the Council. I\tueh of the land in the district. was Maori owned and the leasehold tenure should have the privileges ami lisl.uiitiis of any other tenure. There was perhaps iv>t a great, deal to bo gained by sending deputations to Wellington but as a young county with add its work ahead if was important to keep in ciose touch with the authorities. The Chairman said it was an extraordinary thing that after framing legislatino 1o bring Native land into Euoropenn occupation there should be any distinction made. It appeared as if Native leasehold land war. outside the law altogether, A. strong etTori would have to be made to remedy matters and lie would support the motion. Councillor Schoies said lie was of opinion that there were questions of more importance than the townships. Tf the people had not rushed jhe leasehold tenure there would have been freehold townships by now. As to sending a delegate to Wellington ho thought: no satisfaction would be gained. Tin- answer would be the usual non-committal reply of the Minister. He moved as an amendment that the Waitomo Connfy Council sympathise with, the people of To Kuiii and Otorohanga with regard to the township tenure,. Cr Gregg' seconded the amendment. Or HunCsaid lie would iikc to explain that- lie agreed with Or Schoies to a great extent, but. the Council was not initiating the deputation which would go in any ease. Ho was supporting the. motion in view of the boarder issues involved. Cr Ormsby in reply, pointed out that the position was not understood in Wellington. We bad lo press our own case tn every rc-mec: in order to gel any eosideration. otherwise we should have em-selves io blame. The whole question as appls. d to Native lands in the disiriei sVieuld he thoroughly gone info, tie did not agree with Cr Schoies that if the people had not accepted the leasehold tenure ihe townships Would have been freehold. As long as we were content to sit down and await Government a< ti«>n nothing wouid be done. The- d. puiation might, not accomplish a great deal, but we should have the sat is fact ion of k now ing we had placed the- position hefme the Government, and ihe !>rii, r thai was .lone the greater chance there was of having our views considered. The amendment was then put Councillors Schoies. Grega, aaid Johnston voting for. am! the Chairman, Councillors Ormsby. and Hunt against. The Chairman gave his east ing vote against he amendment which was lost, and he motion, being put. was carried.