MAORI LANDS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 478, 10 April 1909, Page 7

MAORI LANDS

VIEWS OF THE COMMISSION. BETTER ADMINISTRATION WANTED. IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING THE MAORIS. "The paramount consideration is the encouragement and training of tho Maoris to becomo industrious settlers, and that in dealing with the remaining lands tho settlement of tho Maoris should be the first consideration." Such is the opinion reaffirmed by the Native Land Commission at tho conclusion of its two years of investigation in all parts of the North Island. Tho commission, which until recently consisted of the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) and Mr, A. T. Ngata and, latterly, of Sir Robert Stout and the Chief Judge (Mr. Jackson Palmer) has, in its final report, summed up tho result of its work and made several important recommendations. The Lands Dealt With. The commission estimates' the amount of land owned by the Maori people in the North Island to be 7,465,000 acres, while the area which came under the scope of its inquiry totalled 2,791,190 acres. In all 42 reports have been presented, the result of tho inquiries being as follows :— _ , , , Acres. Recommended for general rettle- ., mcllt , , • 696,260 Recommended for Maori occupation 867,479 Subject to special recommendation 477,137 Grand total 2,040,876 In addition there are 275,256 acres subject to timber agreements and other leases validated by Parliament which should be added to the total of lands recommended for European settlement. - Better Administration Wanted. The existing legislation, though it urgently requires consolidation and slight amendment to harmonise conflicting details, is sufficient, in the opinion of the commission, to settle tho Native landa of the North Island. Tho Legislature has armed the various Departments of State and tho Government with amplo powers: what is required is prompt and efficient administration. The report states the difficulties which surround tho process of securing partition orders from the Nativo Land Court, and points out that unless tho State renders liberal assistance in advancing tho cost of these preliminaries and in providing exports the settlement of tho largo area covered by tho-commission's recommendations will be r.eridusly delayed, and tho purpose of the Legislature defeated. Until regular circuits are established, it appears to tho commission that the work of the Native Land Courts cannot be properly and effectively organised. Judges would bo relieved of much of the routine work (in which is included tho majority of succession claims)', if the registrars of the courts were appointed sub-commissioners for the purposo of dealing with succession cases, claims for adoption, and the like. Tho Nativo Land Court Bench should' bo as far as possible recruited from the registrars of the Court, men who by their experience and training are familiar with the office. ■ . Tlths Wanted. There are 468,752 acres of papatupu land in tho North Island, land tho titles to which have not been determined by a competent tribunal. "At this advanced stage of tho history of New Zealand," the commission states, "there should not be any such thing as papatupu land. If the energies of the Native Land Court and the resources of the Native Land Department "were directed more to these,virgin districts and less to the more settled portions of tho North Island, 'settlement would extend more rapidly, and with greater benefits to tho Dominion." Rates and Taxes: In regard to rates on Maori lands, tho commission states: "The Maoris aro realising more and more that they must come under the general, looal taxation of the local bodies under whose they reside, and that in order to enablo them to pay tho taxes they must utilise their lands, or alienate thefn to those capable of utilising tho same. We are of opinion that if tho Legislature had in the past devoted moro attention to making the Maori an efficient farmer and settler, the problem of local and general taxation would long ago have been solved."