TITI ISLAND OWNERS

Southland Times, Issue 24211, 22 August 1940, Page 5

TITI ISLAND OWNERS

To The Editor

Sir,—For the past quarter of a century I have been telling the muttonbirders that the islands belong to the Crown —not one but all of them—as stated by Judge Shepherd at the sitting of the last Land Court held at Invercargill recently. When Stewart Island was sold to the Government all the outlying islands were sold with it, but the right to accupy the islands was reserved by the Government for all natives who are direct descendants of the original owners of “Rakiura” (Stewart Island). The only rights we can claim are derived from right of occupation For instance, if I occupy an island, as I have done for the past 21 years consistently, I claim the right to the island by right of occupation. And our law upholds me. Unless I abandon the island before death, it may be claimed by my descendants. I know of many natives and their descendants who claim rights to these islands, yet they never occupy them and they do everything they can to keep others away from the islands.

The time is now ripe for the Government to amend the regulations, and any person failing to occupy any island to which s he claims a right fof three or more years should forfeit his rights and make room for the rising generation or some one who is willing to work the island.

There are many islands unoccupied, and at a time like the present, when every mouthful of foodstuffs is urgently needed, the Crown should take steps to see that each and every person entitled to do so should take advantage of- his privilege. There are thousands of pounds worth of oil alone going to waste annually. This titi oil is highly inflammable, hence it is of great value for combustion engines. If any one doubts my word that mut-ton-bird oil would drive an engine, let him try this: Let him place the frying pan on the fire with a little titi oil, or fat as it is called, in the pan, and when warm or hot dip only a small I .teaspoonful put and pour it on the fire. ]

If he gets a fright, he shouldn’t blame me. He will, like any other fool, pay for his experience. Double the number of people at present going to the islands should be going there in the near future.—Yours, etc., A. LEADER. Riverton, August 18, 1940.