NATIVE LESSORS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13428, 10 July 1914, Page 3

NATIVE LESSORS.

An important statement as to the requirements respecting the lands of native lessors was made by his Honor Judge Jones, President of the .Tairawhiti Maori Land Board, at tlie last sitting of the Board. There have been many cases m Avhich. leases of indiAndual shares have been held up because a native -has not been able to show the margin of land J other than that leased j : which' would prevent him from becoming, landless within the meaning of the Act. ''The Board," remarked the President, "had gone into the matter fully, and considered that each case • would 1 have to be judged on its merits,, but it night he taken as a general rule that if the Board had proof that the native Avas not occupying a part of the 'block, and that it Avas not required for his occupation, and the want of other lands was not directly raised, the Board would m future dispense Avith evidence as to the other lands of native lessors." "Where the individual does not desire to use the land himself," said the Presi-I'-Mit, "ib must be manifest that it must be. likely to yield more for his support if lc-ied than if lefb unoccupied, or not uscf ' '" occupied, and it therefore stood ij reason that an alienation by way of k rise 'was not an alienation that rendered the lessor a landless native within the meaning of the. Act. -. . . It would be manifestly unjust, for instgnce, if a native oAvned one piece' of laiid only on Avhich a good rental could be derived, that the native should be prevented from making the best use of it, and, .thins defeat the main object of the Statute,* winch Beems to^ be that the land ..should do something towards, supporting him' and preventing his becoming a burden on the State. . By haAing this land at a fair rental, such native as lather increasing than diminishing his means of maintenance and support."