THE NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1536, 4 September 1912, Page 5

THE NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

Sir,—Now that the-Reform party-has got into power there may be a chance of the better settlement of-the Native land question, which the "Liberal" Government, particularly-during the last three years, so grossly neglected, to the detriment of. the majority of the peoplo of this country, who have been in quest of land for ; boiia-fide settlement. The , minority, i.e., the land-grabbers, had the way .payed for them through the passing of the Native Land Act, 1909, by the erroneously styled "Liberals," and ever since that Act came into fore* the New Ztaland zette has teemed with notices of Maori Land Board sittings, to consider private dealings with which the so-called "Liberals," just prior to the general election of 1908, distinctly said they were going to prohibit. The latest evidence on the question is , to be found in the New Zealand Gazette of July i, from -which it appears tho Waikato-Mani-apoto Maori' Land Board was on July 23 going to oonsider applications for over 10,000 acres of land in the Hoeotainui and Te Akau Blocks, which was sought to be bought from the Natives in areas ranging from 1000 to 1200 acres, by ten applicants, who are evidently willing to pay from £2 to £2'las. per acre for it. Let us see whether' the successors of the so-called "Liberals"- will deal ,with the Native land question with more semblance of fairness to the .majority. If they intend to do so they should get a move on before what is still available has passed into the hands of' tile professional land ■ g rabbers.-Lam,etc., AN(ri _ HlnißUC ,_