King Country Chronicle Saturday, November 11, 1911. NATIVE TOWNSHIPS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 413, 11 November 1911, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Saturday, November 11, 1911. NATIVE TOWNSHIPS.

! o Ad aspect of tlx.' native land question rejrurdinjr which 1 illll> ia heard atf present. Ip the position oC native-owned' sections in centres such as Oto pohanga, r J'e Kuiti and Taumarunui. These three towns arc deserving of special mention seeing that they are the three King Country centres most likely to achieve a permanent plane of importance within a reasonable time. Originally planned hy the Native Minister as suitable places in which to carry out his pet scheme of creating native townships, governed by specially evolved legislation, to be administered by a Native Town Council, these places are still suffering from the special attentions of the Native Minister. Taking the case of Te Kuiti, however, there is much to be thankful for in the lact that the author and creator of the scehme had insufficient local knowledge, or too small an imagination to allow for the remarkably rapid development which was bound to occur in such a favourably located centre. The man who could plan a town and expect it to progress and carry out the necessary public works on the three hundred pounds a year obtainable by a Town Council for (lie purpose must be somewhat lacking in imagination. On the other hand the n:rn who could imagine the possibility- of settling a town under the leasehold tenure at good rentals, and induce the settlers to burden themselves with heavy rates to raise very large sunißj of money to make the town decently fit for European occupation must be a singularly shrewd judge of European human nature. The British people have been so accustomed to accepting the laws provided for them, and finding them averagely for the good of the public, or of having inequities readily adjusted that they arc apt to take for 4 granted conditions that require careful scrutiny before being accepted. In respect to the sections within the area of the native township the position calls for the closest scrutiny on the part of the lessees. The leases under which the sections are held provide for continuity of title, but the significent fact lias to be faced that a revaluation is made every twenty-one years. No provision is apparently made as to the: manner of valuation and presumably the lessees will require to pay to the uttermost farthing the increased value due to the spread of population both inside and outside 1 lie township, and all the other agencies which go to inllata values. In all communities values are considerably ailYeU ii hy e?; (ranrous influences, but leaving Jixw entirely out of consideration the fact remains that every inflation of values u> the towns is directly conMajnent upon the efforts of

tin- European h-ssei s. or indirectly upon ihesprimi of Kuropean popula«ion in the i)is!riot. Leasehold is not n!) inviting tenure, oven where the JVo ;■ iinji]o is hold by the Crown, and where liny increase in rental goes to : : woll the revenue of the country. Mail the t..wn lands been originally secured by speculators who had faith in tin- district, and devoted a certain amount of ell'urtand capital to develop the town there in ii;ht have boon some excuse lor accept ing ;i leasehold tenure title. The iaw. moreover, would n..t have ailowed speculators to pose oi : eetions until the town was properly roaded. All things conisdered the feast deserving person concerned in the n:;i! tor in apparently to reap the only ii al nad permanent advantage in he gained. Snoh is the design which was deliberately planned and executed by the Native Minister. Wh.ethir such design is to become pcrpilnaied depends upon a number of eircnii'stanci s. At present the .European politicians of the country are ten busily engaged in fighting party battles to pay much attention to important matteis el' this description. In any case the solution of the problem must ultimately rest with the people dirivii.v concerned. Hitherto the till! den has 1■ ei ;j unfeU because of the rapid progress made, and the fact that the period a!, winch revaluation takes place is some distance ahead. I ; ut. the time must, inevitably come when the \oko will begin to get irksome. .1 he financial aspect to posterity looms larger as each year brings closer the day of reckoning, and it, is sate to pi edict the verdict of the succeeding generation of lessees wi!! be somchat. harsher than that which has yet. to be passed by the present.