SCATTEREDNATIVEINTERESTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 759, 7 March 1910, Page 4

SCATTEREDNATIVEINTERESTS.

THE CONSOLIDATING SCHEME. Speaking. to' a reporter the Hon. A Ngata remarked that of all the important departures made in the Native Land Act passed last session, ouo that appeared to find great favour with the Natives, judging by Tccent experience, was the provision lor the consolidation of interests. Ho wont on to say that the Natives in the Urowera Country were anxious to see the system > immediately carried into operation in their district. It might be-said that the Native lands in that particular district lent themselves more easily than any other similar lands to the proposed -scheme, for the reason that no part of the Urewera territory had been alienated, and that there were therefore no complications from, the existence of outside interest. No particular portion of flie district had 'benefited by settlement, reading, etc., and tho averago values of the interests to bo consolidated would be approximately equal. In portions of the East Coast district there was also n< keen demand for tho system of consolidation .to bo set in operation as soon as tho uew Act came into force. That applied ■ especially to lands now under leafn to Europeans, the terms of which run out in from three to (ire years, tho owners feeling that the time was, now ripe, for them to adjust their titles in tho manner proposed, 60. that'fnmilies would have their interests consolidated and properly allocated as soon' as the land reverted to their use. It was , early, of course, Co anticipate whether or not the new sclwno would lie practicable, but the provisions of. the stntuto were sufficiently elastic, and, in addition, it was understood that the rules of Court to bo framed would nonsidcrably facilitate the' carrying out of -(he Echeme. Mr. Ngata added that it would : bo quite twelve months before tlio De : par.tment would bo. in a , position to i;ay whether the scheme of consolidating iho scntterod interests of: the Natives could be effected at a. reasonable. cost, and with a reasonable expenditure of the time of tho Court and its officers, and whether the Natives were in earnest and. would assist tho Court to bring their interests together.