LIKE OTHER MINISTERS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1443, 18 May 1912, Page 4

LIKE OTHER MINISTERS.

THE HON. W. MACDONALD IS NOW BEGINNING TO "THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATE."

(By Merreph—Pr»>« AtsoclsUon.)

Gisborne, Mny 17. Hon. W. Mncdonald, Minister for Public Works and Native Affairs, was entertained by his constituents at Tekaraka last evening. There was a largo and enthusiastic gathering, and speeches were detiveffod by Sir James Carroll, tho Mayor of Gisborae, and others. Mr. Maodonald was presented with an illuminated address. Accompanied by Sir James Carroll, tho Minister left for Wairoa this morning, opening the Nuhaka Bridgo cn route, The Native Minister, in the course of an in■tervicw, announced that last year's operations in connection with tho transactions and alienations of Native land showed great progress, the figures being:—Lnnda dealt with by way of lease, 3ii3,f100 acres; dealt with by way of sale, 31!),S07; purchased liv tho Crown, 91, Til acres. Probably 80,000 acres were purchased by the Crown Lands Department, and a furthar 100,000 acres under negotiation o.t March. 31 are now practically completed, making a total for tho year of approximately 800,000 acres, Mr. Macdonald holds that surplus land* can be dealt with more on tho lines of Crown lands than is being done under existing conditions. Ho is thoroughly investigating the working of tho Native Department, and considers the Land Court* should complete their work about three years from now.