A DEPUTATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1681, 22 February 1913, Page 11

A DEPUTATION.

• ME. HERRIES INTERVIEWED. (By. Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Wanganui, February: 21. Several matters of importance ,wero' brought before the Native Minister at ltaetilii by Mr* Berry, manager bf> the local dairy company,, particularly in connection with the ltactihi -No. 1 Block (vested in tho, Land Board). Mr. Berry pointed put that the grassing of the lands, when a "burn" had taken place, was of the utmost importance,' so far. as the future was concerned. . On the block in question, however,. the bush had been felled and 'burnt, but no seed hail been, sown, and now noxious weeds/ such as groundsel, Californian thistle, etc., covered tho couu-' try.' Indeed, he doubted if the seed would now germinate, and yet, if sown at the timo of tho "burn," there would have been produced a beautiful pasture. The immediate grassing of Native lands when bush had been burned off was of extieme importance, and something should be done to prevent the land being injured in the way ho had described. Tho Waimarino-'district carried some very fine dairying country but it had been spoilt because the millers' interest lay only in the timber., 9■ '" In his reply, the, Minister asked that Mr. Smith, (member for. the. district) should write 'him fully' on'this<jinpo'rtnnt ques/| "tioft. V'.At the same timo.he wanted it>to, be understood ; that if the land was parti-, tioned and surveyed,'-he could do nothing,'- 1 though' he expressed his .willingness/to purchase all tho Native lands in the Dominion that were-not, partitioned ' (so long as thq Maoris were willing to sell), and that enough land was left for ih'o requirements of the Natives. If Mr. Smith, M.P., would put the present grievance in writing, he (Mr. Herries) would place the particulars before .the Native Land Pur--chase Board," and if nothing was in' the way he would be quite willing-to purchase. .