TIMBER LAND CLAIMS

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1930, Page 13

TIMBER LAND CLAIMS

LIABILITIES OF COMPANY. DIFFICULTIES OF LAND BOARD. A' 7 Statement relative to the claims made in respect of the liabilities of the Tongariro Timber Company, Ltd., and the effect on the Egmont Box Company, Ltd., of the Tongariro Company’s rights was tabled in the House of Representatives by the Minister of Native Affairs, Sir Apirana Ngata. It was referred to the Native Affairs Committee.

The statement said that section 29 of the Native Land Amendment Act of last year removed the embargo placed on natives seeking to enforce their contract with the Tongariro Company and appointed the Aotea Maori Land Board the lawful agent for recovering possession of the lands affected by the agreements. The agreement required that certain notice should be .given to the company and accordingly, oh November 19 last, the board notified the company that unless within six months it paid £20,5(12, which was due in respect of royalties to March, 1929, and completed the railway lines contracted, to be constructed, the contract would be terminated in terms' of the agreement.

In the meaiitiriie various claims were received by the Aotea Land Board arising out of past proceedings of the company. These totalled £523,503, of which £330,000 represented a claim by the Tongariro Company and £32,000 a claim by the Egmont Box Company. The claims could not be considered by the board.

A further question had arisen as to the position of the Egmont Box Company under an agreement made with the Tongariro Company on October 23, 1919. The legal status of the claim depended on the proper construction of section 32 of the Native Land Amendment Act, 1919. The Solicitor-General and the board’s solicitor considered the Egmont Box Company had some claim against the owners. It appeared that the claim was mixed up with that of Mr. Bertram Phillips, to whom the Box Company agreed, on May 4, 1920, to sell the timber rights, reserved by the 1919 argeement, for £13,000. The statement concluded: “The board, as agent for the natives, may find it difficult to recognise such a large claim without some judicial pronouncement, but the matter appears to be eminently one for some amicable settlement.” It is proposed to place all the documents before the Native Affairs Commit-1 tee for its consideration.