WEST COAST SETTLEMENT LEASES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 209, 5 April 1913, Page 7

WEST COAST SETTLEMENT LEASES.

DEPUTATIONS TO .MINISTERS. LEGISLATION PROMISED FOR NEXT SESSION. The Premier and the Minister of Public Works have had numerous deputations on the matter of the West Coast Settlement lands during the last few days, and have promised legislation next session to deal with the question. The case for the lessees was ably put by Mr. E. Maxwell at Opunake on Wednesday night, and speakers at Itahotu, Warea and Okato also referred to the matter. The whole position is reviewed in Mr. Maxwell's remarks, which we produce in full. He commenced by referring to the question as "absolutely the most vital question affecting this district," and continued: ADVANTAGES OF THE FREHOLD. "I need not take up your time in pointing out the advantages of the freehold, for we well know that the freehold has in you a very good and firm friend, but I will presume to point out that our need for the freehold is greater than that of any Crown tenant, and I hope to show you that our claim is a more just one.

"The major reason among many for our request is not just the desire we have in common with all for the freehold of our homes, but a far more serious one, and it is this, that the working out of our tenure in practice has proved an entirely different thing to what the terms of the lease led us to believe, or that even the most intelligent of us could reasonably have been expected to conceive at the tinie-we took up these lands, with the results that we are suffering under a grave injustice and that the progress of the district is being greatly retarded—and, by the way, ultimately the interests of native landlords will certainly suffer. EGMONT COUNTY—THE CENTRE.

I "Before going further.-1 wish- to say that although many of the statements adduced are applicable to all the tenants under the West 'Coast Settlement ! Reserves, some arc not. and -I wish to point out that my remarks mostly, apply to those within the bounds of the Egmont county, whose case is very much stronger than that of those on the richer and naturally'fertile' lands of the plains. I would like to draw attention to the fact that this county is the real centre of the West Coast Settlement Reserves. Every acre of land from the sea to the mountain and from the Taungatara river, three miles south of Opunak'e, to the Mototi stream, seven miles north, with the exception of Opunake- township and 000 acres adjoining, is nativo' lalid; hnd for another fifteen miles northward to Stony River practically all the land cm the inland side of the main road (which is near the coast) and main' areas seaward of the road, are native, lands.. These lands are almost all light second--class, mostly with hard bottom. Far the larger portion—probably 05 per cent. — was, when taken up, in heavy wet bush, or then either swampv or wet and sour. To prove this, T could show you, even close to the main road, many portions Which are still in the haircls'Of ; the natives in much the same condition as described.

THE SETTLERS' STRUCGLI'.S. "From this description you will knov that the original prairie value was very little indeed, and represents a verv smal portion of the real improved value, as the cost of bringing such bind j into a bene fieial state of improvement is very great indeed, and much greater still by reason of the time requisite before any outlay becomes reproductive. Owing j;o the wetness of the climate, and' the; small areas felled, our burns were bad—sometimes three or four years with bad or no burns, with tiie adder] cost of repeated re-scrubbing. Wet and sour land takes years to drain and sweeten. We were without roads and'without markets, and even now our- produce costs up to £2 per ton to"get to port or railway; and the use of fertilisers, which is so essential to the prh;nt;ftfa'-fiTh>ing and the maintenance of the fertility of such land, is practicallly prohibited by the heavy cost of transport. THE GREAT GRIEVANCE. "Now our great grievance and claim for the freehold is this: That we took these lands up «m the distinct understanding that though the freehold could not be obtained the time would come when we could make them our-own; that we would lie allowed for all our'improvements, and onlv have to pay rent on the prairie value, which was ihen interpreted to be a very different thing indeed to what it is now under the system of valuation. Also, we were assured that the country would be loaded and entirely onened up for Eiiropenn settlement. What did we find? Thousands upon thousands of acres even now, after thirty years, remain in the hands of the natives. Miles of country along the main road frontage are STTLL A WILDERNESS, nnd worse, a seed-bed for all the novio" = weeds to spread seed over the settlers' lands. As to road in", wc have not onhbad to nay heavy ordinary rates, while the natives pay practically none, but before we eonM get access to ouv holdoings (which in some cases we did not '

for 10 to 13 years), we had to pay special rates often exceeding the amount of the rental. What was worse, we had to do this to make miles of roads through or partly through these waste lands still in the hands of the Maoris to, get access to our own. And these natives who own these lands and are our landlords have contributed practically nothing towards the cost of roading or towards the progress of the district. Until quite recently none paid special rates and what of ordinary rates is shown by the fact that the Egmont county has in the past only received, about 10 per cent, of the rates shown as native on the rate roll. THE POSITION TO-DAY. "And what do we now find? Instead of paying rent on the real prairie value we have to pay it on our own labor and expenditure, on the special loans, and on the value due to our dairy factories and due to the progress of the district to which oar landlord*..have contributed nothing, and to which we have contributed everything. And, in addition to this, we have at our own expense roailcil their lands and maintained these roads, and have thus and otherwise greatly en haiiced the value of these lands still held by them. Tinier the present system of valuation there is no remedy. As a valuer, I can say so, and I think, sir, you yourself have recognised the impossibility of separating the unimproved from the improved value in even a much ! simpler case than 6Ur3. i

''There is -the 'position that, instead of paying rent on the real prairie value, we have to pay on the greater part of our improvements. ,on .the value resulting fi;om special loan-!, dairy factories and general advancement, towards none of which our landlords have contributed. TAXATION ANOMALIES. "Land valued at £1 per acre unimproved has the value advanced by £2 through being opened up by a metal road made out of special loan's. A mortgage for ;10 or more years on your farm brings you the reward of an advance of 200 per cent on your rent. Land that was swamp stud worth nothing, ilmt valued at £1 per acre, has been eonverted by cutting scores of drains through timber at great cost, and keeping the drains clear for perhaps l"> years, all of which drains, except one main drain have had, perhaps, to be filled in at more cost, the whole possibly costing more, than the present value of the land. The land, now a meadow, is valued at say, £lO per acre. The improvements allowed for are somewhat as fallows: —Cultivation, £l, grassing £l, the one drain and fencing enual another £l, .in all £3 off £lO. This leaves you £7 unimproved, or 7s per acre rent to pay for having at your own cost converted £1 into £lO. This is the position. Such a position as 1 think you will admit could never have been conceivable at the time. We never dreamed that we would' have to road; in fact, we were assured otherwise. Nor could anyone have supposed that having made the roads by mortgaging our farms, we would then havei to pay rent on that, We never thought that the prairie value would be arrived at in the way that it is. nov that it could bv any means ,inproaeh what it is now assessed at. Tt is said that we made the bargain, and ought to stick to it. We say in an- 1 swer that it is not the spirit of the bai-cain that we object to. but (he ininstice caused bv the perversion of the barn-aim

"'Now. as to tlio general asneot of the opt. The Government of the dav (1881-2) conceived tlio plan of at once' lionoy-i*omli!iijr tlio country e\tendin<* to Stonoy Tiiver with white settler*! as u means of settling the native difficultv. We were promised that although we could not then pet the freehold, (he time would eome when we would he able to; that the land would never po hack to the natives. The native onestinti was then too delicate a-one to think of actually giving (he freehold then. There are those in this room who can hear me out in this. I was here at the time the Fox Commission was in the district, and T took up land at the vei— first disposal. ''The position of these lands was as follows:—There were 200.000 acres of confiscated lands (and therefore jk

native lands in the ordinary sense), which as a peace offering were set aside as an endowment for the native race, not for individual owners. Then, as'* result of the Parihaka trouble, it was. found necessary to break these land* up. borne, a sufficiency, was set aside for the natives, some was offered for lease exclusively for natives who desired to personally occupy, and the rest was taken from them for white settlement though not then actually sold 1 , leases, old and new, are everlasting. The land, so long as the covenant* are performed, can.never rever.t-ttr the native landlords. Therefore, as 'fends they arc only Maori in name. To change the endowment from land producing rent to money producing interest would not be a breach of trust, and in no way would be an injustice. ACQUIRING THE FREEHOLD. "We suggest as n modus operandi that the lands be valued in full,, and that the value of including that resulting from special loans, etc., be deducted; and that the Crown take over the lands at that value, and issue a fresh lease' with a' right of purchase to Hie tenants; that the Crown pav the natives through the Post Office (to be lifted at any time after due date by presentation of a warrant) the rent by way of interest; and! that when the lessees exercise theiilght of purchase the money be invested and" the interest be paid to the natives afr before. The only possible objection it. would seem that can be raised is that by this the natives would lose the chance of anv possible increased value at the end of the term. We are satisfied" that land values are now so high, and" . that in these light buds the deteriora- ; twin is so marked, ami that through the j unsatisfactory tenure the tenants will do little to maintain the fertility, that a very decided decrease instead of- increase is certain. Therefore, we contend" I that by a continuance of the present system not only will the tenants suffer [ and the district and country suffor,.*but that the landlord will certainly ultimately suffer. It is suggested, as the increase of rent would be from 200 to 300 or 400 per cent, as against- the original, that as an inducement to the natives to agree to the change in the trust, that sav 23 per cent .of the captal value might be paid to them in cash and still the endowment would remain two or three times as valuable as it was originally. And also it is suggested that a further sum of the purchase money might be allowed the natives for approved purchase of freehold lands for themselves. They can never get back these leased lands, but with the proceeds of their sale tbev could purchase other lands for their personal use. "Anyway, there is a good precedent for taking these lands (and particularly remembering that they are not native lands in the ordinary' sense, and probably in no way affected bv the Treatv of Waitangi), without agreement, and that is that the lands of Europeans, although beneficially occupied, and paying rate* and taxes, are so taken in the interests-of the community. "We have, T know, placed before you a somewhat difficult undertaking, but if we hnvi- only been sufficientlv clear in placing the matter before you. so that you are able to understand 'our position, then. «ir. T feel cnnlident that vour in--1 nate sense of justice, quite apart from anv political aspect, will lead vou to find some menus (o remedy the injustice under whieh We suffer. THE MINISTERS' REPLY. The Ministers said the nroblem was n j verv iliffieull one. The Native Minister. Mr. TTerrie*. w.is now looking into the iv-tW nt Wellington, and legisletion would be brought down next session to ri«nl with these lands. It wasmii*p evident, *lnt the unsatisfactory tenure wan hindering development of the countrv. Satisfaction' was expressed at the "ttif'de of the v. u .j o | K deputationin -<h»t there seemed n<v desire to ti,ke advnnteeri of the natives. The Government wnuld endeavor to give what wisasked, "fi snuare deal to both pakeha and Maori."