WEST COAST LEASES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144710, 19 June 1915, Page 5

WEST COAST LEASES.

THE REGENT LEGISLATION

RECOGNITION' OF AIR. E. MAX"WELL’S SERVICES.

A mooting of tho general committee of tho lessees under the West Coast Settlement Reserves Act was held at tho Town Hull, New Plymouth, on Friday, when a presentation was made to Air. E. Alaxwcll as a token of appreciation of his gratuitous services in tho interests of the lessees in connection with the legislation passed during last session. A number of lessees in various parts of the province were a*lso present, as well as Messrs. H. Okcy. ALP., and C. A. Wilkinson, ALP. The chairman of the committee. Air. T. P. Hughson, in making the presentation, which took llu* form of an illuminated address, suitably framed, at tho outset said they desired to recognise in some way the splendid effort that had been put lorth by Air. Alaxwcll in this matter. I hoy all remembered the .splendid speech he made on the occasion of ihe visit ot the Premier and tho Minister ol Public Works, and which everyone recognised was a masterpiece. It proved that Air. Alaxuell had grasped the situation a* no other man had. He had studied the whole thing out to perfection, and was able to pm the matter lorward in such a ionii that no one could dispute Hie hasihilLy of the scheme. hollowing mi Mr. Alaxwell's speech at Opunake, thev vould remember that various committees were l formed. and as a result Ah. Alaxwcll was a sued to take the mailer in hand on behaU" of the lessee-. IK did so, ami h’s eilorts had been crowned with .success. Ai the same time he (tho I speaker) did not forget that Air. Alax- j well had co-workers" tho members of 1 arliament lor the disi.net working splejulialy, and particulariv ihe member tor Kgiuom, Air. C. A. Wilkinson. Continuing. Air. Hughson said tho committee had alien thought n.s to flow it could I substantially inward Air. .Maxwell, and ! many ot ihe lessees outside the com- j mit tee had also raised the Question, but j the tiouhle had been to know just how j to give efleci to its nisiiws. They all i felt that the present:.lion which wa-s ■ being mndi; lo Air. Maxnoll was quite j inadequate, lim he v* as a man who. I when ho said a ihiag, stood to it. and 1 he had apparently staled that lie would j only arvep: his ouL-01-pcckol expenses, j and all the influence, they could bring j to brar to try ami LuLuv Mr. Maxwell J to accept something more substantial i had born unavailing. In conclusion, i air. Hughson eniphadv’d Dm fact that j want had been dune /n in tho > interests ot i».uu tue n-.njs ami the' Europeans, ami he Hum presented Ah-. > Aiaxweil ni-.h the tho text of I which was as joilows;— • j

TO EBENEZEH MAXWELL, ESO lIA HOT I'.

j We, the undersigned, being the Exei cutive Committee and representatives I of the lessees under The West Const I Settlement Reserves Arts, adopt this { means of placing on record the sincere j thanks of the lessees lor the ahle man- : ner in which you advocated their int.eri rsls anti so verv materially assisted in j obtaining legislation v.dticii placed tile lands under the .Acts mentioned tin a, i much more satisfactory footing, both j tor the lessees anti the Natives? Your | initial speech ai Opunake. when inter- ; enuring The Honourable Tin* Prime i Minister, was indeed a masterpiece, ami : amply illustrated your study and grasp ! of a most intricate subject. • This was 1 followed by strenuous ofloits by you in. I Wellington and elsewhere, and the sneI cess achieved is a standing monument to your zmt l ami dinlonc'-v, for which • the lessees t ; M la irr c-er grateful, lit i giving voit- ’ to this nniv ..ei ’iioii in this > memorial, we do net targr. that your ! lime ami hil oar to - . f-ee!v given ,o i tile cause without any jar-aiiarv hearth, j to your good sell, ami v,v only regret ; that a n cog ;ition m your action in | suitable iovm was no! acceptable to : you ; it would hnlee 1 Irav e been pleasing ! to have presented you w:.h something more tangible. Wishing you and wars long Tfo. prospeiity and happine-s. We remain. T. P. 11l GILSON. J.i’., Chairman. C. 11. LOONEY. I J. \V. FOREMAN. .!.p. Wli.i.iAM BIMNIL. JA.S. DINE. Jim. .1. WHl’l EHLAb. BRIAN C I.VSAtHIT, THOMAS V. WINKS, C. A. Bl Hte.E. Secretary. Mia C. A. W ilkiiason imartilv emlv.rsed the remarks of the chairman. There was not tile slightest question, he said, that Mr. Maxwell had giwni tlit" lessees an enormous amount of assistance in connection with the legislation that was put through last session. Mr. Maxwell had thoroughly grasped ihe whole facts of tho position, ami brought them forward in a most able manner. Ho traced the progress of the legislation through the Houso and the various dommitteo stages, and referred to the opposition that was met with. By the legislation which had been passed justice had been done both to the lessees and to the Maoris. Ho also expressed bis appreciation_ of the help given by .Messrs. Obey, Hino and Pearce, but all the work had boon started .by Nil. Maxwell. and he was primarily responsible It or nil the good that had hern done. The settlors eonld not do Mr. -Maxwell too much honour. Mr. J. W. Foreman, on behalf of the lessees in the Waitara district, very cordially endorsed the remarks of the previous speakers, and said they all recognised the immense task wlileli was undertaken by Mr. Maxwell. ’The success of the legislation which had been passed depended upon whether or not the Government sympathised with tho freehold, but this did nor. detract from tile work that had been dono by Mr. Maxwell. He had done realrgood service; all that was possible for atty man or for a number ol men .to do und'er the conditions that existed when the Bill wa.s brought before Parliament. He believed that if the lesser's could obtain the freehold of their holdings under this measure it would satisfy them, not that they would benefit very largely pecuniarily, hut it would satisfy diai sentiment which every man possessed to . obtain tho freehold of his home, and at tho samo time no injury' would result to the Natives. lu fact, on the contrary, he believed that the money that would ho obtained for the freehold could bo used b.V the Public Trustee io the’ benefit of the Natives in a way that he was unable to do at the present time. Continuing, Mr. Foreman said lie wa.s more particularly pleased to pay his tribute to the work of Mr. Maxwell because at the outset he was doubtful as to whether any one man could carry it through. Referring to correspondence which had appeared itg the newspapers charging the lessees with ungratefulness, he could only say, as one, of the general committee, that there had boon no ingratitude; they hnd always felt grateful to Air* Alaxwcll for his services, and the delay

which had taken place had been caused' through reasons which had already been explained, and which were perfectly satisfactory to him. They had all hoped that Mr. Maxwell would have Ixnui induced to accept something more substantial. Mr. Okc.v, M.P.. expressed his pleasure at being present and bearing testimony to the work of Mr. Maxwell. Jt had been said that the legislation which had been put through was against the interests of the Natives, but personally lie was satisfied that it was as much in tiie interests of the .Mauris as it was in the interests of the lessees. Mi’. Jh C. Jhysaght, representing the lessees in the ilawcra district, and Mr. J Jas. Him*, jnn., also made a few remarks eulogising the services of Mr. Maxwell. Mr. Maxwell, in returning thanks/ said he was pleased to accept the presentation as*a record of their association together in this malt or. Ho was also extremely grateful to the various speakers for their kind remarks in recognition of any service lie had rendered. He was- always most anxious to’ do his fellow-settlers any service he possibly could, and. with regard to these' leases, lie was perhaps in a more favourable position than many ethers, us he had for many years been in intimate touch with them, right from the very commencement. It had been a big undertaking to carry the Ac! through successfully. bur he thought they could view it with extreme satisfaction. As to correspondence which had been published. Mr. # Maxwell said hi' hud felt all •along that ho had ’the lull sympathy of tiie committee. Ho had frequent indications of tins and knew that they fnily appreciated anything that he was doing and were grateful to him for an> chert he had made. lie wauled to be perfectly clear, howevi r. that.he was not tile only one. for anything lie had done would have fmijo without Ike as istance he had. received from the members of .Parliament for the district, and particular/ Mr. Wilkinson, wjuht so far as Mr. Uke.y was concerned. Lu him belonged the. credit entirely of the rebate in the rein, which was a very grout consideration. In conclusion, Mr. Maxwell said that throughout the whole business they had al! been very strong indeed on the point that whatever was done there musl not h> tiie s’ighiesb semblance of any injustice lo the