NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 852, 25 June 1910, Page 15

NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT.

SIGNS OF SLIGHT AWAKENING. INTERVIEW WITH HON. A. NGATA. Speaking to a reporter yesterday, the Hon. A. Ngata, who'has just rcturned from a- visit to the . Bay of Plenty,, stated that the chief object of his journey was to consult the Natives living in the thermal springs district and the Ureweras as to tlio special Acts affecting their districts. In accordance with the programme laid down last year, it was proposed this session to complete, if. possible, tho consolidation of tho Acts relating to Nativo lands. The-Acts of general application wcro consolidated last ' year. . Those affecting special districts, such, for instance, as the East Coast Trust lands and others, wero being overhauled now. As a result of meetings with the Arawas at Whakarewarcwu and Ohiucmutu, a resolution was unanimously carried in favour of the repeal of the Thermal; Springs District' Act. The effccfc'of _ this'repeal would be to place tho Nativo lands in that district iu tho same position as other,.Nativo lands under the Native Lund Act of . Inst session. In order to conserve .the 'public interests tho Arawas had agreed th!s if a thermal spring or place of scenic or historic interest were included in any land proposed to be alienated, no private alienation could . lake plae\. until the Grown had been offered and had refused to acquire tho land in question. ,

Whilst in the Urewcra Country, Mr. Ngata discussed with the' Natives the question as to whether tho Urewera Act should be repealed, hut the majority of tho Natives were of opinion that tho time was not ripo to place their lands in the same position as lands under tho now Native Land Act. Tho General Committee, which is endowed hy Parliament with verv wido powers, ivas, however, reconstituted, five membors (including Una) being admitted from the Runites. An area of 40,000 acres lying between AVaima.na and Maimgapohatu was placed under offer to the Crown for sale bv ll.ua.

Riding over fifteen miles of Imsli lands in the Urewera Country, Mr. Ngata was -struck by their richness. Ho wont on to say that ho had uti doubt that a very largo area of the Urewera Country was well adapted for pastoral The hills were covered almost entirely with tawa, and ivliere grass had been sown tho cocksfoot had held well for nearly twelve years. . The Tarawera pumice land was of coursc a drawback in-places, bui no doubt that would disappear.

. In. tho course of. further remarks, Mr.' Ngala mentioned .that tho land which was recently taken up by Knrouuans undor leaso. between Cauo Kuri-

away and Opptiki was being rapidly improved. Ho found that the settlors were well satisfied with the capacity ■of .the country; The area that had bpen leased and taken up by tho settlers in -that locality during tim last three years totalled iv?arly 70,000 acres. .Ho estimated that about 10,000 acres of it hud been cleared and sown down in English grass. The Natives in that district wero very anxious to lease large areas tu fturopeaus, reserving blocks of from 2000 to 3000 acres along- the coast for their '• own use. ■ There had been a great, rush to secure options over land in four blocks noar East Cape—around Hick's Bay and to the south-east of To Araroa —but those desirous of taking up leases . would do well to await tho allocation of tho areas awarded by the Appellate : Court to the various hapus interested. At present, Mr. Ngata added, the shares only had been awarded, hut tho . location of same had not been docided.