THE The New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1884.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 6929, 1 February 1884, Page 4

THE The New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1884.

The District Court Judge has found that the Rotorua leases are bad, thus leaving the Government in a very awkward predicament with the natives. As to the technical points upon which this present case has been argued we have nothing at present to say, but will recall a few historical facts, with the view of offering some advice to the Government, which may save much trouble hereafter. The first step was the making of an agreement by Mr. Fenton, when Chief Judge of the Native Lands Court, with the natives he believed to be the owners of the land upon which the springs were situated. In ISBI an Act was passed authorising an arrangement to be made by which the Ngatiwhakaue were to hand over certain of their lands for administration by the Government. The substance of the agreement was, that the Government were to lay out a township, lease the allotments, and hand over the proceeds to the native owners. A formal agreement was then made by Mr. Fenton, and the township of Rotorua was advertised publicly for leasing by auction at Auckland. It was certainly well advertised by attractive publications, which were circulated not only in New Zealand, but in Australia. A high upset price was put on the allotments, and the sale was a most successful one. People bid from £20 to £40 an acre annual rental. The quarteracres brought from £5 to £7 10s, and £10 a-.year, and this rental the lessees were to pay for ninety years. One gentleman's rent amounted to £300 a-year for ninety years for some quarter-acre town sections, and some ten-acre rural sections. The township sections realised £1952 annual rental —being at the rate of £8 a-year per quarter acre. The suburban sections realised at the rate of 15s per acre per annum on the average. The purchasers soon felt they had made a great mistake. The Government were to do a great many things in the way of erecting bath-houses, and so dealing with the locality as to make it an attractive place of residence, especially for invalids. The leaseholders complained that in these respects the Government had not carried out their pledges. But the worst was to come. The sito of the township was found to be utterly impracticable. Persons from all parts leased the allotments, and many of them had never been in the locality. The selection of the site for the township was made by certain gentlemen, who, one would have thought, would have made the best possible chioce. They were Dr. Hector, Mr. Hale (engineer), Mr. Percy Smith (Assistant Surveyor-General), Mr. Fenton (Chief Judge Native Lands Court), and Dr. Campbell. These gentlemen selected as the site of the township a flat known as Sulphur Point, while the rising ground at the back was to be laid off as a park, planted with ornamental trees, laid off in brilliant gardens and soft lawns, and with all the delights of a fashionable watering place. But when building waß commenced by the Government the evil was at once seen. Nails would not hold, and in a few weeks the most substantial erection came tumbling down. The sulphur vapours so affected the paint on houses that in a few weeks they became black. It was found out that these sulphur fumes at times rested on the ground, rendering residence on the land of the Government township almost unbearable. The chief baths at this point—Madame Rachel's bath and the Priest's bath— are strongly impregnated with sulphur and other matter, and are exceedingly efficacious for the cure of certain diseases. They are splendid medicinal baths, probably unequalled in the world, and destined to be a blessing to sufferers from all parts from henceforth. But, as it is not good to have to live on medicines, so it is not good to breathe night and clay-ihe exhalations from these baths. The place has many other shortcomings. Houses erected on it would have no view. It has no water supply, for if a hole is dug you come to hot mud. Drainage would be quite impossible, for the ground is almost on the level of the lake. All these things were seen by the lessees, and not one of them has taken any steps to build. Few of them have paid any rent. The Government are awkwardly situated, for the natives have been continually pressing them for the arrears of rent, and think themselves very ill-used because they do not get them. The lessees formed an association, and consulted Messrs. Hesketh and Richmond as to whether the leases were valid. The answer was that they were not valid. This matter was brought before Mr. Rolieston last session, and he naturally pooh-poohed the idea that leases drawn by Government lawyers in conformity with a special Act, would leave a loophole of escape. It has turned out so, however; the leases are not worth anything, and those who purchased allotments are rid of a bad bargain. We regret very much that this fiasco has occurred. If this townshiD

had been successful, a people would have * settled at Kotorua; hostsrfTw would have been attractedf? 8 * 18 means of communication would fc ; been rapidly furnished; and the Jk? opening of the interior would t been expedited. How the f' n e ment will settle with the cannot conceive, and certainly ,? may be expected to make them J , more difficult to deal with On * gestion would be that the Goveranf 18 * should endeavour to have a W? 6 laid off on the rising backof Sulphur Point Flit, and 1 M lay off the present park surrounding the baths. | I ,