NATIVE LANDS.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 13, 14 August 1894, Page 2

NATIVE LANDS.

What appears a very hard case in dealing with the native lands has been brought under our notice. Between the Arawata andNgariki Roads there have been a number pf sections let for some years past from which the natives interested have been deriving a certain amount of revenue. Recently the remainder of the land between, these two roads has been is being got ready for settlement purposes. When, a few Native Trust Commissioner; was round paying rents, the native owners of the land were astonished to find that the whole of their rents were stopped for survey Fees. We take it, according to the West Coast Reserves Act, as far as it possible to understand that measure,, that the Public Trustee is authorised to have surveys made, and that the 'Cost pf such survey shall be a charge on the land surveyed, and the Public Trustee, in his discretion, may deduct such cost of survey from the first year’s rent, or distribute it over a period of seven years. This, however, appears to refer to the rent of the land for which the cost of survey has been incurred. We do not think it is either the word or the spirit of the Act that rents from lands already settled should be taken to pay for surveys of further areas which the Government wish to put in the market. It is a very great hardship on tbe natives, more especially at this time of the year, when they have no crops or other means to depend on for a living. On the strength of these rents, they have been able to obtain a certain amount of credit, but having failed in keeping their engagements through non-receipt of the* rents, they find their credit stopped, and numbers of them placed in a very unsatisfactory position. We feel sure if the matter is properly represented to tbe Public Trustee that he will see that such an injustice will not be allowed to continue.