ARAWA NATIVE COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1418, 19 April 1912, Page 4

ARAWA NATIVE COUNCIL.

ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, April 18. The Hon. To Rangiliiroa returned yesterday from Rotorua, wliere 110 presided 011 Tuesday at the first meeting of the newly-elected Arawa Nativo Council. Apart from tho members of the council, said the Minister in the course of conversation, there was a large gathering of Natives interested in the work of tho council, and a number of matters relative to tho welfare and progress of tho Native raco were discussed. Among other things several slight changes in the provisions of the Native Land Act of 1!)09 were suggested, while a question which was responsible for a great amount of interest among those assembled was ono dealing with tho Advances to Settlers. The Maoris are very keen, said Dr. Buck, to get on to the lajid and to have an opportunity of working it themselves. In connection with this ambition they are very pronounced on tho subject of tho Stato advancing money 011 tho security of their land, as it does in the case of Europeans. They believe that, provided t'liey can obtain the necessary assistance, they will bo able to prove their mettle as agriculturists, «nd remove the slur that at present rests 011 so much of Native-owned laud and on the .'husbandry of the owners.