HAWERA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3535, 6 November 1882, Page 3

HAWERA.

November 6

Mr McKay, Reserves Commissioner, at their own request, met the natives at Hokorima on Friday r<? leasing portions of the continuous reserve between the

Waingongoro river and Okaiwa, recently sold. Most of the leading natives interested were present, but a few were absent, as the weather is favorable for fishing, and a scarcity of food compels the natives to avail themselves of all means of obtaining supplies. Thenatives who met Mr McKay expressed their willingnesg to lease through the Commissioner all portions of the reserve they did not require for cultivation or the grazing of their own stock. One or two old women raised an old cry about the Government having already robbed them of the bulk of their lands, and that now the Commissioner was going to take from them the only land they had left on which to grow potatoes and feed their pigs. The old ladies, having had their say, sat down contented, and at the close of the meeting cordially shook hands with the Commissioner. It is quite clear that the natives begin to see the folly of allowing large areas to remain in an unproductive etate. They can form a pretty fair estimate of the probable income they are likely to derive from the waste lands, and are wisely making up their minds to lease.