NATIVE LEASEHOLDERS' ASSOCIATION.

Waipa Post, Volume VIII, Issue 373, 8 December 1914, Page 5

NATIVE LEASEHOLDERS' ASSOCIATION.

At Otorohanga Town Hall on Tuesday last the annual meeting of the recently-formed Native Leaseholders’ Association took place. The meeting was well attended, Mr H. Briscoe occupying the chair. The minutes of the two previous meetings held at Jackson’s Hotel, Te Awamutu, were read by the secretary and confirmed. Eleven new members were elected. A number of apologies were received from members for non-attendance.

Mr P. Hargreaves said the question of finance was a very important one. He had proposed something similar to this association six years ago in connection with the farmers’ union; but ignorance and opposition of a clique had prevented anything being done. He mentioned that some years ago a number of good articles had appeared in an Auckland paper in reference to native land tenure, and thought these might with advantage be reprinted in pamphlet form and circulated, and so help to educate public opinion on the matter. Mr O’Sullivan (Kihikihi) read an interesting paper on the position from the native leaseholders’ point of view, contrasting the leaseholders with the Crown tenants, but at the same time emphasised the fact that it was not the desire of the leaseholders to take any advantage of the native owners. He pointed out the many advantages which a Crown tenant had over a leaseholder, and quoted many anomalies. Only monied men could get on as native leaseholders, whereas Crown tenants could start on practically next to nothing, through the Crown being a good landlord. It was almost unknown for a native leaseholder to get a State advance for improvements. He thought the Government should advance the purchase money to leaseholders, as in the case of Crown tenants. At present they were paying twice as much as the Crown tenants. Thought private persons should be allowed to purchase without so much Government interference, and they might then give higher prices. During the discussion which took place or the question of the general policy which the association should adopt, Mr Taylor said he thought they should endeavour to get the names of all native leaseholders in the province, and that they be written to. He was of opinion that the association would develop into a large and useful institution.

Mr T. Walshe saida policy was necessary, but they were up against the Land Act. A spirit of fair play should, and he believed did, prevail between pakeha and Maori, but he thought certain amendments might be made to the land laws without prejudicing the interests of either party. He thought the objects of the association should include: To introduce amendments into the native land laws providing greater facilities for obtaining the freehold, in the direction of equitable valuation, provision for grants to settlers to enable them to finance the' purchase of the freehold and to borrow money to carry out improvements, and the establishment of a more equitable valuation in the matter of the lessors and lessees in the improvements, and the revision of the regulations affecting Maori land boards to enable transaction to be dealt with more expeditiously. It was generally considered that the land boards at present had too much power in deferring business ; some little thing occurred, and the matter was hung up for six months ; then perhaps another six months till the board met again. Mr Walshe thought the board should sit at all times in Auckland, where there were better facilities for dealing with land transactions. A circular issued by theOtorohanga Chamber of Commerce, dealing with native -land affairs, was read, and after discussion it was resolved that a committee of this association confer with the Chamber of Commerce on a date to be arranged. It was unanimously decided that the association be called the Auckland Provincial Native Leaseholders’ Association. The next meeting of the association will be held at Te Awamutu on a date to be notified. A good deal of enthusiasm is being shown in the association, and members are enrolling freely.

For the information of those who are not leaseholders, the members of the association wish to state that that body is not being formed for the purpose of obtaining any unfair advantages over native owners. The association wishes to give the natives a fair deal at a price at which they are voluntarily prepared to sell, and at which the tenant is prepared to buy. Natives will be welcome to join the association,

as the spirit of it is fair play, justice, and compromise. Native owners are subjected to much inconvenience and considerable expense in travelling from meeting to meeting of the Native Land Board, while it is alleged that that body hangs up dealings on miserable technicalities, and the natives resent as strongly as the tenants the arbitrary interference of a third party when the principals in the matter are satisfied.