TAUPO FISHING AREAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19391, 28 July 1926, Page 14

TAUPO FISHING AREAS.

RIGHTS SECURED BY CROWN. FINAL AGREEMENT SIGNED. COMPENSATION FOR NATIVES. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. An agreement that will be of interest to anglers throughout New Zealand, and also in Britain and the United States of America, has been signed by a member of the tribe interested and the Minister of Native Affairs, Hon. J. G. Coatcs.

During last week representatives of the Ngati Tuwharetoa tribe have been in Wellington discussing With officers of the. Departments of Native Affairs and Internal Affairs details of the agreement recently reached at a meeting at Tokaanu Between the Minister, Mr. Coates, and tho representatives of the tribe, in regard to fishing rights in "Taupo waters." A final arrangement was arrived at on tho main points at issue and this has now received the signatures of the Minister, representing the Government, and of Hoani to Heuheu, representing the Maoris interested.

In the agreement "Taupo waters" are taken to mean Lake Taupo and all rivers and streams flowing into the lake and also the Waikato River between the lake and the Huka Falls. For these rights the natives are to be paid £3OOO a year for the general benefit of tho tribe and. their descendants. Should the license fees, rents of camp sites, etc., under the agreement exceed £3OOO, half the amount of the excess shall be paid to a board that is to be set up. Right of Access for Public.

The agreement provides that the beds of all the Tadpo waters shall be vested in the King fts a public reserve. The public shall have access to and right of passage over a margin of one chain from and around the bed of Lake Taupo. Every holder of a special license shall have access to and right of passage by foot over continuous strips of land, one chain wide, on each side and over such length of the beds of Taupo waters, other than the lake, as may from time to time be defined ■by Order-in-Council. Fences erected or to be erected upon or across lands adjoining the beds of Taupo waters shall not be deemed to obstruct any right of access or passage if reasonable passage by means of gates or turnstiles is provided through or over such fence. On the recommendation of the board certain areas within the onechain strip may be excluded from public access by Order-in-Council. This provision applies only to two or three places where native pas now in existence abut on the waters, as at Waihi. There is provision that the Minister of Internal Affairs may permit and control the erection of fishing camps on the chainwide strip and levy and collect rentJ therefor. Fifty free Licenses to Tribe,

The Minister of Internal Affairs is also to'be authorised to license, at a fee to be prescribed by regulations, all boats and launches plying for hire on Taupo waters. Half the fees for breach of the Fisheries Act shall be deemed to be revenue of which the interested Maoris shall get a share, as already mentioned. Fifty, free licenses are to be granted to members of the Tuwharetoa tribe to be nominated by the board. Clause 13 of the agreement provides that as the legal ascertained owners of lands bordering on certain streams flowing into Lake Taupo, or other persons claiming through them, allege that in the past they have derived substantial revenues from the use of their lands as camp sites for anglers for fishing purposes, the Government shall appoint a tribunal to investigate sufeh claims and allegations and to determine what compensation, if any, shall be given in the settlement. The board which is to be appointed will consist of eight members o! the Ngati Tuwharetoa tribe, appointed by the Native Minister after receiving nominations or.' recommendations from the tribe. The term of- office is two years.