OHINEMURI AGRICULTURAL LEASES.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2046, 26 July 1875, Page 2

OHINEMURI AGRICULTURAL LEASES.

A deputation consisting of the Mayor, Messrs Wilson, Carpenter, Wallnutt, Brown, Allom, Hennelly, Rowe, "Payne, Porter, Bullock and others, met his Worship the Warden and Mr Tolo at the Warden's office this morning, to suggest improvements in the Agricultural Lease Emulations.

His Worship read the telegram he had received from the Superintendent requesting him to confer with. Mr Tole on the subject, and his answer thereto.

The Mayor said he was induced to send the telegram he had with reference to the leases owing to the shortness of the time still remaining. He would have liked to have had a public meeting at which Mr Tole might have been present, but as Mr Tole was under w the necessity of going away to-day they had come there to see if anything could be done.

In reply to Mr Carpenter Captain Fraser said that the regulations only referred to Ohinemuri, and could not be brought to an end by a six months' notice on either side.

Mr Rowe said it was an absurdity to pay half-a-crown an acre rent for land to the Natives, the sum was far too large; and the miners by taking the leases were only doing themselves an injury and exciting the cupidity of the JNatives by giving more than the land was really worth. They did not, want leasehold land but freehold land. _, Mr Porter also thought the sum far too large for the rent of land, considering that land just as good could be purchased outright in some cases for 5 shillings an acre. This he knew of a fact himself; he also thought that the amount of land allowed to be taken up was too small in many cases, and that the better plan would be to allow larger tracts of land to be taken up as the distance from the township increased. It would be obviously unfair to allow 200 acres to be taken up close to Mackaytown, 50 was quite enough, as the distance from the town increased so might the extent of land taken up be increased. He quoted the case of leases of land at Ota go, where the freehold reverted to the lessee; after he had paid half-a-crown a year rent for seven years if he had improved the land. And also Nelson, where he himself had had a hand in the regulations. . .. - .

The Warden considered that the Ohinemuri regulations were more liberal' than those of Nelson and Otago—copies of which he handed in.

Mr Brown thought that 50 acres waj too little, but the Warden reminded him that there were rep^ly only two pieces of good land. • Mr liowe said he did not object to the quantity—that might be remedied after, but the rent was too much, he thought that one shilling a week was sufficient, and in the event of the Government becoming the lessor the lessee should have the option of buying the land without competition.

Mr Tole was sure that the Superintendent wished most liberal terms to be offered to lessees when the land was acquired. ' The Warden, said that they couldn't

ask the natives to take less for theiriand than they asked for their own. Mr Uowe said that if the natives got a shilling an aero for their land ifc was more than it was worth, and it' the Government bought the land, a shilling an acre''rent would, pay a. very 1-srge interest on the sum they woulcTpay for ifc Mr Porter said that if the freehold of the land were subsequently acquired by the Government, the price at which it ought to be sold to the lessee should be the same as the prie.j of the adjoining block.

This Mr Howe contended was unfair, as some land wo*: Id be of more value than the land,.adjacent, and some less, which would give to some an unfair advantage!

The Mayor thought that Mr Porter's pan was a good one and that land within a radius of a mile or a mile and a half shoald be set aside for miners in small allotments, ard outside the radius larger areas might be taken up. The Warden pointed out the changeable character of goldfields and that what was the township of a goldfield to-day might not be one to-morrow.

After some discussion, with a view of getoing something done Mr Tole stated that the fees for surveyors had been made to guard against surveyors' charges, that he .thought the fees very low, but was quite agreeable to the clause in relation to them being struck out.

Mr Rowe then made a definite motion that" the area allowed be as in the regulations for (3 months, and that the U-rin of lease be the same,- viz., 21 years ; that the li-ssee pay one shilling per annum au acre for the first seven yoars, one and sixpence lor the next seven years, and two shillings for the succeeding and final seven years ; and at the end of six months the Government Officer or Warden should; if the 50* acre blocks were taken up, report the same with a view of getting the area allowed enlarged. He said that in his country the occupations of miner and agriculturist were often combined, and might be so here. Mr Wallnutt supported Mr Eowe, and quoted from his experience in what he stated. # Mr Brown did not agree with Mr Eowe. He thought that those who wished land on which to settle,- were those who wished to give up mining and retire.

Mr Porter said that it was all verywell to combine the occupations of settler and miner in England, -but here the farms required to be made first which would take the- whole of the settler's time without mining. Mr Payne was never appealed to as a probable settler, and he stated that if he acquired land he should give up mining. Mr Tole: asked if 50 acres would not be sufficient for purely agricultural purposes, of course if the land was only suited for pasture more might be "added. He reminded-* them that the area of Ohinemuri was limited, and that the Superintendent wished to benefit as many as possible. Mr Porter thought fifty acres too little, and Mr Brown also supported the proposal of 200 acres being allowed, as he thought those, who took the .land wished to give up mining. The Warden thought that at. any rate for the- present fifty acres was enough, that anything which tended to delay the lands being occupied was unadvisable, and therefore, as the 3rd of. August was so near, they had better leave the question of 50 acres for the time, that he and Mr Tole quite agreed that the rent should be reduced, either to a shilling an acre or'in accordance with the sliding scale proposed by Mr Eowe, and that the scale of fees to be charged should be struck out. He thought that in 7 years it was almost certain that something would be done whereby the freeholds would be acquired with the leaseholds.

Mr Tole acquiesced with the Warden, and the deputation then withdrew.