ORAKEI NATIVE LEASES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13872, 5 October 1908, Page 6

ORAKEI NATIVE LEASES.

, A COMPLICATED POSITION. [BY" TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] : Wellington, Thursday. During the discussion regarding the Orakei native leases at /The sitting of the Native Land Commission Mr. E. Mahony (who appeared for Mr. Thomas Coates and Mrs. Elizabeth Coates, lessees of various sections in the block) said that if the validation of the leases were approved on' the lines recommended by the Native Laud Commission injury would, be done to his client's interests. The Commission had apparently based its report on erroneous data,, and facets furnished by the Native Land Court, the effect of the mistakes being to induce the Commission to recommend the validation in some instances of leases which had been surrendered years ago, relating to properties which were now the subject of entirely new leases for very much longer terms than the original leases. Further, that 'in furnishing dates from which leases commenced to run in nearly all instances the date of the lease itself was given instead of the date of the term. His clients were amongst those ~ who, it was stated by the- • Comniision, had acted bona-fide throughout. They had expended considerable amounts of money on the lands, including the erection of a house which had cost many hundreds of pounds. ' Mr. H. D. Bell, K.C., appeared : for the lessors to Mr. Coates of that portion of a block upon which tire house was built. The lessors asked, he said, that the leases should be confirmed for the full period of 42 years, instead of .21 years, as recommended by the Commission's report. ,- His Honor said he .would confer with Mr. Ngata on the subject.