NATIVE LANDS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 444, 1 March 1909, Page 6

NATIVE LANDS.

4 IMPORTANT PROPOSAL. TWO HUGE BLOCKS TO BE OPENED. (HY TICI.KGItAI'H —I'll ESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, February 27. Tho 11011, J. Carroll and tho Hon. A. T, Ngata have during the last two days been busy holding important conferences in regard to the opening up of Native lands in tho North. As the result of theso deliberations, somo important developments are about to bo given elTecb to, and these were outlined to a "Star" representative by tiio Minister for Native Affairs tl.is morning. Tho HOll. Mr. Carroll stated that he was busy- all day yesterday at the Government Buildings in conference with Judge Brown and Major Pitt, tho presidents of the Maori Laud Boards in tho Auckland provincial district, covering tho whole of the north of Auckland, Waikato, tho King Country, and the East Coast and 13av of Plenty districts between Coromandel and Opotiki. Tho Hon. Mr. Ngata and Judge Fisher, tho UnderSecretary for Nativo Affairs, wore present, and also Mr. H. T. Mitchell, who is ill chargo of tho Native land surveys in tho Bay of Plonty district. Two lame blocks, one of nearly 20,000 acres in the Hokianga district and tho other of 35,000 acres ill the Bay of Islands, are, Mr. Carroll says, noarly ready to bo offered for selection, It is understood that 011 tho latter block there arc, roughly, 50,000,000 foot of'timber. Tile open lands 011 this block should bo ready to place 011 tho market in May next. Tho measurement of tho timber will necessitate tho holding of tho balance of the block until somo tinio later. Tho bulk of tho timber is situated along tho railway lino near Ivawakawa, witli good facilities for shipping and handling tho product. Twenty-five, million fcot of this timber have already been measured, Mid tlia unmeasured balanco is estimated at 2oJ millions. Tho timber of tho Tokarao block in Hokianga lias not yet been measured, but instructions will bo given to proceed with this necessary work in the north, as in other Nativo land districts. Mr. Carroll says that it will bo necessary to obtain tho services of competent survey, ors in 'tho first place to complete the orders of tho Nativo Land Court, so that somo of tho areas may bo brought under tho Nativo Land Settlement Act, 1907, and the machinery of that Act set in motion. In the socond place, to subdivido tho areas recommended for general settlement and have them placed upon tho market, the Native Minister haa directed arrangements to bo mado" for getting out two or three survey parties for the North Auckland district, and tho samo number for - the King Country, in the Bay of Plenty district, outside tho area affected bv the Thermal Springs Act. Steps are being taken to vest in tho board for European, settlement an area of 36,000 acres, for tlio greater part of which thcro are complete titles, so that the board should bo in a position to put a largo proportion of this area on tho market without much preparation. Within tho thermal springs district an area of 3C-00 acres, at a distanco of tlirco or four milcp from Rotorua, on tlio main road to Rotoiti, has been surveyed, and a provisional scheme of subdivision for settlement purposes is under consideration by tlio authorities. This area should bo on tlio market within tho next three months. The Hon, Sir. Carroll is visiting tho Urcwera country in order (inter alia) to constitute a general committee for that special district, tho appointment being necessary before tho Government can acquire the land for settlement, This will make about 80,00Q acres dealt, with by tho -Native Land Commission. Arrangements have been mado for carrying 011 a 6urvoy at Tekalia, Opotiki, and AVhaliatano, over an. area amounting to about 60,000 acres. The position of Nativo land in tho Wai-, kato and King Country was also corsidored at the conference, and arrangements mado to put on two or three surveyors in tho latter district to visit, and report, upon tholanda set. apart fof general settlement. In view of tlio recent acquisition by tho Crown oi a large area in tho King Country, it is important to ascertain how far tho sclicmo ol settlement, proposed by tho commission, can fit in with the .settlement of tho Crown lands now undergoing survey. -IM-