NATIVE LAND PROBLEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20597, 23 June 1930, Page 11

NATIVE LAND PROBLEMS

SECURING THE FREEHOLD, PURCHASE OF AREAS. CONFERENCE AT OTOROHANGA. [BY TELEGP.APH OWN COMHSPO.VDEKT.] OTOROHANGA, Saturday. Native leaseholders and natives from whom leases are held met in the Otorolianga Town Hall yesterday, Mr. S. A. Cook presiding. The chairman said their object was to obtain the freehold of their properties, as the present leases were unsatisfactory to Maoris and Europeans alike. It was their wish that native leases should become Crown leases. There was no intention of acquiring the land unless the native owners were willing to sell. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot, M.P., wrote stating that the Minister of Native Affairs advised individual lessees to apply to the Maori Land Board stating the amount of cash they would find to purchase the freehold. Adjustments of leases could also be made by the board. The writer said that if applications were put in at once a special sitting of the board might be held to consider them. Mr. J. N. Boddie, representing the Te Kuiti leaseholders, suggested that the native owners take deferred payment titles at 5 per cent, over 20 years. Mr. Morgan Putaputa, Mr. David Ormsby and Mr. John Hughes replied for the natives. They said they did rot want their land lying idle. Directly they sold they wanted the money and did not want to wait 20 years. When they sold a property they wanted the money to improve their other lands. Mr. Boddie replied that the natives would be no worse off under deferred payment than renewable lease, as the money would be accumulating for them at interest. It would cost millions to buy all the native lands.

Resolutions were adopted asking that the Government assist by financing the purchase of the freehold of native leases, the lessees to become Crown tenants; that the lessees be able to purchase at the present unimproved value, if the native owners are agreeable, and agreeing to meet the native owners' committee when appointed.