West Coast Lessees' League.

Opunake Times, Volume V, Issue 198, 28 July 1896, Page 2

West Coast Lessees' League.

A meeting of lessees was held on Saturday evening at Middleton's Hotel, when there was a fair attendance, Mr J. J. Elwin presidiug. Mr Elwin stated the objects of the League, going over the same ground as at New Plymouth, which has been already published. He stated that although the member for Egmont said they had done nothing the advantages gained in respect of native rates, fencing, and insurance had been brought about after the formation of the League, and he considered they were very substantial advantages. He then read and explained the new petition which they had drawn up and intended sending to Parliament this session, the main prayer being that all leases should be converted into leases in perpetuity under the 1892 Land Act.

Mr Wells said they should stick to their guns and fight the matter out, even if it took them five years or longer to gain their end. The Govenment had put the measures through last session which no one-* else would have been able to do. As to the financial position of the League there was a deficiency last year, but that had been quietly balanced by the delegates, who put their hands in their own pockets and squared it off, so that they would get a straight start for the coming year. Mr Elwin said meetings had been held at Stony River and Rahotu, atfd had been arranged for at other places. The delegates had decided on making the same levy again of 2s per hundred acres, and it would be for the lessees to say whether they would go on with it or let the matter drop. Several of the lessees present undertook to get the signatures in this part of the district so as to have the petition sent at the earliest possible date to Wellington. Following is a copy of the petition : To the Honorable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Council—House of Representatives of New Zealand, in Parliament assembled. ■ The humble petition of the undarsigned humbly sheweth : 1. That your petitioners live, and are leaseholders in the district covered by " The West Coast Settlements Reserves Act, 1892." 2. That your petitioners approached your Honorable House in the session o' 1895, and produced witnesses be-**' fore the Waste Lands Committee as to the unsatisfactory administration of the said reserves to the lessees, and that the said committee recommended the petition for the consideration of the Government.

8. That as far as your petitioners are aware no action has been taken by the Government to redress the grievances complaiued of. 4. That the method of valuation under the said Act for converting old leases into new is unfair, as the lessee has no voice in such valuation, and that the meetings between Native owners and lessees are useless, as admitted by the Public Trustee, although a source of expense to applicants. _ 5. That your Petitioners consider the conversion of all leases now held under the said Act into leases in- perpetuity under the " Land Act 1892 " would tend to the interests of permanent and prosperous settlement, and place Lessees on an equal footing with settlers in other parts of the Colony, as owing to the disfavor in which such leases are now held your Petitioners are placed at a serious disadvantage. Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray your Honorable House to enact such legislation as shall cause the leasing of these lands as provided by the " Land Act 1892," the valuation to be determined as provided, at the expiration of leases, for renewal. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.