NATIVE LAND GRIEVANCES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1529, 10 August 1905, Page 3

NATIVE LAND GRIEVANCES.

(To the Editor Gisborne Times,

Sir, —Your correspondent “ Waiapu” seems righteously indignant at the native land legislation of the present Government, and longs for a return o£ freetrade (for those with long purses) in native lands. Judging by your correspondent’s figures, the old policy was not a brilliant suocess. He states that in twelve months the Government bought more land than had boen purchased by private tro rty in the previous twenty years. Apparently trro area purchased by the Government in the twelve months referred to was 166,448 a.cpes, so that the average annual purchases made by private individuals over the twenty years in question wore lobs than 8500 acres—a really remarkable monument to the success of tbo old policy, Mg.y I ask your correspondent bow many years at that rate it would take to convert the hundreds of thousands of acres bo Bpoitks of into " smiling farms,” and how many laughing lawyers, land agents, etc., would bo made in tbe procoss. How many “ smiling farms ” are there in the whole of the Waiapu county purchased by private treaty from tbe Maoris under tho old systtip. I will admit that ■ there were some’ huge estates built up then, which will ultimately have to be purchased at an extravagant price by the Government, and settled as they might have beou settled in tho first instance. Tbo present policy, although a step in tho right direction, is a failure, but tho old policy was infinitely ipfite so. The only way to solvo tho question is for the Government to take over tho Maori lands, and lease them exaotly os ii they were Cro\vu lands. The GovornI ment could give a guarantee of possession. The land would then bo taken up n,3 soon as tho surveys were finished. Tho individual ownership could bo settled at leisure. —I am, etc,, TAI RAWHITI.