THE TAIHOA MALADY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14000, 4 March 1909, Page 6

THE TAIHOA MALADY.

NATIVE TOWNSHIP'S PLIGHT.

DEADLOCK AT TAUMARUNUI;

THREAT TO "SHUT UP SHOP."

[t)Y TELEGRAM.— SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

TATJMAKtrNui, Wednesday, After occupying office for a period of 12 months the members of the Taumarunui Native Township Council mot the ratepayers of the township in the Public Hall to-night, for the purpose of tendering their resignations, they holding that, handicapped as they are at the present, it is useless for them to go on without getting some definite expression of opinion from the ratepayers. There were about 50 ratepayers, including a number of ladies, present. Mr. W. Gardiner was elected to the chair.

The chairman of the Council (the Rev. J. E. Ward) stated that they had had a coneiderable amount of talk by ratepayers with regard to the betterment of the township. Ho wanted to show them that the Council had done its utmost in every way. When the Council entered office it had £70 to pull up, and it now had something to credit, after having attended to several requirements. They would have done more, particularly in regard to drainage, had they the means, but this was beyond their power, as they could not borrow, and the Maori Land Board would do nothing for them". So far as the interests of the pakehas in Taumarunui were concerned, they might as well talk to a wall as to the Maori Land Board.

Mr. Ward then proceeded to show how all forward steps taken by the Council had been frustrated at almost every turn either by the apathy of the Government or the "taihoa" policy of the Native Land Board. In June last, he said, an application was mad«\ to the Government for a public domain, and they received the reply, "Unable to grant it, as the land is already vested in the Wanganui River Trust." On the same occasion an application was made to gazette a notice validating the rate, but a reply came refusing to advise the Council on the matter. In reply to an inquiry as to the steps necessary to obtain a loan the Council was informed that section 50 debarred the Minister from granting • a loan, '.'as it was purely native land." Then a petition was sent to Parliament to get the tenure of land altered, but it was ignored. On July 13 the Council met the president of the Maniapote Tuwharitoa Maori Land Board, and placed the position before him. They asked for various things, including the matter of a recreation ground, the granting of a section for municipal' l buildings, the question of a reserve of 34 acres of practically waste ground for municipal purposes, the opening up of more township sections, and the raising of loans. In regard to the first two matters the Council was advised to apply to the Crown, while in regard to the third the president said he would recommend it to be granted. As regards the other matters the president replied that they would lie "considered.'' They were still being "considered." On May 22 last the Council applied for 60 acres known as the " racecourse," requesting that it be vested in the Council for # e people, and eight months later received advice that owing to the rapid progress of Taumarunui.. it was not the intention of the Government to grant any reserves, as the land might be required, for closer settlement.; The fact that the town was making rapid progress made it all the more imperative that it should have a reserve. (Applause.) Later a further letter, was received in regard to the loan stating that the Council was not within the Loans to Local Bodies Act. The president of the Maori Laud Board was written to asking that 25 per cent, of all ground rents collected should revert to the town and for street maintenance so long as the township was unfortunate enough to remain a native township. A copy of the letter was, sent to the Mmister for Native Af- ! fairs, but was ignored. 4 Various other requests, which if granted would have greatly benefited the township, were made, but they were , - all '■, treated in ,' the same way, and nothing had been done and' the members of the Council considered themselves warranted in resigning in a body. ■ It- was their opinion that the policy of the Government, as shown in 1 their legislation ; for native townships, was in the interest of the native owners. The Council had given without stint of their time, and had been" met on every l hand by obstacles which they were advised could only be removed by -an alteration in the system of land tenure, or, on the part of the Government, by some radical measure more adaptable to special local conditions and requirements.

LEGISLATION NECESSARY. There was, continued Mr. Ward, evidently ■ only one way of getting over the difficulty, and that was (1) by enacting legislation so as to provide for an alteration of tenure so as to enable Maori townships, to raise loans; (2) that Maori land boards should pay half of the interest arising out of any loan ' hereto; (3) that out of native lands coming into' ; the market sufficient land therefrom v should be set aside, as endowmentsV. for native townships; (4) that > Maoris and pakeha should have equal responsibilities and , equal rights; ? (5) , that ; every native township should be represented by a local member sitting on the , Maori Land Board. The Council had no source of -revenue except by direct taxation :of- the tenants. In the interests of public health the raising of a loan was necessary, and the Council urged that drastic action should be taken to bring about an improvement of the present state of affairs. (Applause.) ■ . ' OTHERS MEMBERS' VIEWS. Mr. A. S. Laird, a member of the Council, pointed out that under the existing system of 21 years' leases, with revaluation at the end of that period, the Maori landlords, while not spending a single penny in improving the place, were getting all the benefit of everything the lessees did; The game was not worth the candle. (Applause.) The township badly wanted drainage, water, and lighting, but they were unable to get them under the present conditions. ' "; / Mr. VV. Fletcher'another member of the Council, considered that direct taxation of a 21 years' lease was iniauitous, and should not be tolerated. Whatever the leasees did at present in improving their holdings?; would be revalued at the expiration of that period, and they would be made to pay higher rentals, so that if they did anything they, were only piling up their own burdens. The only thing left for them to-do was to shut up shop and bolt, and bar the door until the Government- came along and gave tlieni some assistance. (Applause.) It was decided by the meeting, after a short discussion, to refuse to accept the Council's resignation for three months, and in the meantime to draw up a requisition to the Government, signed by every ratepayer in the township, requesting redress, and that, in the event of such not being granted within the period stipulated, to accept the resignation of the Council forthwith. -

Mr. Ward said the Council did not propose to call upon the ratepayers for any further rates except those already due, and under such circumstances he did not consider the Council could be of much use.