Purchase of Maori Lands.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1919, 31 October 1906, Page 3

Purchase of Maori Lands.

PECULIAR PROCEEDINGS.

A CLAUSE IN THE APPROPRIATION

(Special to Times.) Wellington, last night

In the House yesterday Mr Wiltord warned members who wore freeholders against voting for clause 28 of the Appropriation Bill, which is a now clause, and reads as follows: The purchase money and incidental expenses in connection with tho acquisition by the Crown of the Aorangi, Mangatoro, IVaimavana, Waipuka, Okaihau, and Pukekura blocks, in the Hawke’s Bay land district, may be paid out of the Land for Settlement account, as in the case of private lands acquired under the Land for Settlement Consolidation- Act, i 960, and the said blocks arc hereby declared to have boon lands subject to that Act as from tho date of the acquisition thereof. Any member, said Mr AVilford, who voted for that clause would also have to voto for clause 30 of the Land Bill. Mr McNab said tho hon. member was under a misapprehension. On coming into office he found that under instructions from a previous Minister the Land Purchase Board had negotiated regarding certain properties in the Hawke’s Bay district to purchase them as ordinary estates. They went on and arranged the purchase, but the Audit Department took exception to tho money being paid out of the Laud for Settlement Account, The Land Purchase Board then recognised they had been carrying on negotiations which in the mind of the Auditor-General at all events wero outside the statutory provisions. Tho clauso was to put that 1 matter right. Me Harms sail tho clause was a most

dangerous one. It was only eerta'n interests in those blocks that had been purchased, and the Minister for Lauds w-:s ignorant of the circumstances, A gross injustio-e so the natives who desired to soil was being perpetrated. Indeed, it was a criminal injustice, and it now nppsared that the Crown had wrongfully purchased certain interest in these blocks under the Land for Scttiemenls Ac!. Mr A. L. D. Fraser said ths Minister for Native Affairs bad a few days ago announced that 70,000 nores of land had been parobased in the Wanganui district under the Act of 1005. If that was so he would like to know where the money for jba pnrobaae came from, seeing that it

, j could not bo paid out of tho Laud for I Settlements account, and thoro had boon j no speoial appropriation for tho purpose. I It would aooin as if Iho Minister had boon I in error or had boon misinformed in this I matter. It might bo that they would find those lamia had been purchased under tho Laud for Soitlemonts Act, and would bo j i n ior tho s mio disability as tho lands in ih i Hawke's Bay district. I Tho Premier proposed to atnond tho olmisu in oouunitto’, and ovontually agreed to striko is out altogether, Tiioro was a briof, but sharp passage of I - arms b. tween Sir J. Ward and Mr A. L. I D. Eraser, tho former mistaking Mr Fraser’a rom irk a, and ooua ruing them into a refieotion upon Mr OarroU, who was absent through illooss. I Mr Eraser sturdily protested that ho had not oast any rstlection ou bis friond, Mr Carroll.

Eventually tho objectionable olauao was struck out iu oommitiee.