WI PERE-CARROLL TRUST.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 171, 31 July 1901, Page 1

WI PERE-CARROLL TRUST.

SPURRED ON BY GISBORNE TIMES. ■

PREMIER REFERS TO THE SUBJECT.

(Special to Times.) Wellington, last night.

Articles that have appeared in the Gis borue Times in regard to the Trust Estates have occupied a good deal ot attention here, and Mr Monk Ims brought the subject up in the House. He wanted to know what action the Government intended taking in the matter. The Premier had evidently not made up his mind on the subject. He said that if the Government stepped in under the Land for Settlement Act it would practically efface tho Maori claims. The bank, he said, was well secured, that last jear, after paying cverying they had about 119000 was left. The difficulties in connection with these trust estates had culminated, owing to the action taken by tbe Bank, as the result of the action of the Validation Court. Naturally, the House would ask what the Government proposed to do. In his opinion, the best thing would be to refer the matter to the Waste Lands Committee. There were two ways to deal with it—one was for the State to step in and relieve tho Bank, taking up the position of the Bank, and place the land in tho hands of the Public Trustee, and after disposing of it and providing for what was advanced by the Government, to pay the earnings of the residue to the Native owners, who had a reversionary interest in the land. The other I course was for the Government to take over the land, have it valued, and declare j that so much should be Crown land, and then place the balance of it in trust for the Native owners. Those were the two ways of dealing with it. He was rather inclined to make it Crown land, and deal with it under the Land Boards, rather than tie it up under the Public Trustee. The Government had had the matter' under consideration, and would submit the matter to the Waste Lands Committee for their advice. Tbe present position was stopping settlement on the East Coast. The Bank of_New Zealand was at present managing the"estates, and the soooer the institution got rid of these lands the better.