KAWHIA LANDS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1745, 9 May 1913, Page 5

KAWHIA LANDS.

NATIVES REFUSE TO SELL, 1 NO CROWN PURCHASE. (From Our Own Correspondent. 1 ) Auckland, May 8. Great tilings were expected from tho Fit* ling at lvawhia of tho Waikato Maniapolo Land Board, for apart from private transactions to lie dealt with, a proposal lor tho acquisition by tho Crown ot tho lino area known locally as tho Taharon was to bo considered. this purpose meetings of assembled owners interested m tho various blocks into which tho laud, comprising somo 16,500 acres, has been subdivided, wero called, and an exceptionally large crowd of Natives gathered in Kawhia until it was found that tho Courthouse was quito inadequate to accommodate. thoso directly and indirectly interested in tho proceedings. Ail adjournment was therefore made to tho hall, which was well ii I led with Maoris, uni a considerable number of Europeans, curiv ous to Watch tho procedure, and more of less anxious as to tho result. Mr. j\V. H. Bowler (President of tho Board) controlled tho meeting, his announcements being translated into tho Maori languago by Mr. E. C. Ealwnsser, wbilo Mr. J. Ormsby explained tho situation of the blocks. Everyone present, at any rate, tho Europeans, heartily endorsed tho President's preliminary remarks, which wero to tho effect that all would recogniso tho benefit tho European settlement of tho block would represent to Kawhin. Tho reading of tho district would bo facilitated, general progress stimulated, and a further inducement would bo offered to connect llvawhia by railway. Ho went on to explain that tho Board represented tho Crown in tho proposed purchase, that tho prico paid would bo based on tho Government valuation, and added that 1m oould protniso each owner the purchuso money within a month. ' Tho preludo completed, tho president announced that to fare time no would test the feeling of tho mooting "on the voices," ond if a general desire -wero shown an tho part of tho owners to sell, rao.h resolution would bo put separately find fornmlly carried on a, show ot lunds. Tho list of names of thoso sharing ownership in the several blocks was road, and on tho motion boinj put "That tho Crown purchase Tyhoroa 13, No. a, !!0!I8 acres," there was no doubt from tho outset that the "i ces" had it. Block afhr block was callcd, only to inojt tho same fate, men and women joining in the general chorus, which increased in voltimo and intensity as tho proceedings adratood. As fite resolution regarding cacli block iras "turned down," fclio president, with assumed confidence, "was sure they would sell tho next." Tho Natives wero proof against all blandishments, and Mr. BowJer took cach consecutivo Tobuff smiling, although naturally, liko ovcr.v pakoha present, acutely disappointed. So it' ended, except for a little paternal advice from tho hoard. This land, Mr. Bowler points cd out, had been owned by tho Native# for the past five or six centuries—ever sinos tho Tainui canoo landed in Kawhin, and yet the total- improvements wero valued at only ,£OOOO, or, approximately. 6s. pea' acre. They must TCaliso that tho timo had conio for a chongo. They must taka their coats off and get to work with the axo and plough, or tlio publio outcry would compel tho Government to bring in legislation providing for tho compulsory acquisition of all unproductive lands. Ro warned them against tho advice of tliowi who recommended them not to cell their lands, for ho understood that a considerable amount of outsido interference had been pxercised im this direction. Ho concluded by again impressing upon them tho necessity for bringing their holdings up to a modem standard of cultivation. •