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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1987, 24 January 1907, Page 4

NATIVE LANDS. COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY. 11l the course of his speech :i!. Dunedin on Friday night Sir Joseph Ward dealt with the native lands problem. For some time past, said Sir Joseph, the question of how best io deal with the native lands of this country has been exorcising the attention of the Government, and as this is in no sense a party matter, but one in which all classes of the community are concerned, and the solution of which means adding to the general prosperity of the colony by giving increased means of employment, it is necessary that the matter should be referred to by me. I recently indicated flint a Royal Commission should he set up for the purpose of dealing with this important matter. I have pleasure in stating now that the Government has recommended his .Excellency the Governor to appoint a Commission, and that His Excelloucv has given his assent to the proposal. (Applause.) The Commissioners will lie Sir Robert Stout (Chief Justice) and Air Apirana Ngatu. M.H.R. (Applause.) On my return to “Wellington the question of the appointment of an additional member ia to be considered. The SALIENT POINTS

of the enquiry arc as follows: 1. What are as of native lands there are which are unoccupied or not profitably occupied, the owners of these, and if in their opinion necessary, the interests affecting the same. ~ 12. Mow much lands can best be utilised and settled in the interest of the native owners and the public good. 3. What areas if any, of such lauds could or should be set apart—(a) For the individual occupation of the native owners and for purposes of cultivation and farming. (b) As communal lands for the purposes of the native owners as a body tribe, or village. (c) For future occupation by the descendants or successors of the native owners, and how such land can in the meantime be properly and profitably used. (d) For settlement by other natives than the native owners, and on what terms and conditions, and by what modes of disposition. (©) For settlement by Europeans, on what terms and conditions, by ..what modes of disposition, in what areas and with what safe-guards to prevent the subsequent aggregation of such -p. areas in European hands.

Further to report us to—4. flow the existing institutions established amongst natives, and the existing systems of dealing with native lands, can host be utilised, and to what extent or in what manner they should he modified, and to make such suggestions and recommendations as they may consider desirable or necessary.

The Commissioners have boon directed to make their first, report by July loth. 1907, and their final report by January Ist, 1909, and were directed to so frame their reports as to facilitate prompt action being taken thereon, anil in particular to furnish in such reports such details ns to the lands available for European settlement as will enable Parliament to give immediate legislative effect to such parts of the reports. BETTER .MACHINERY WANTED. It will bo seen that the Commission is not set up l'or the purpose of delay, hut with the object of facing and'solving the native lands problem. Hitherto law after law has been passed, act after act repealed, amendment after amendment effected and all have been based upon a mixture of impossible ideals and imperfect experience. No general scheme has yet succeeded, because in all there" has been more theoretical than practical machinery. An inefficient machine has been in constant existence. What wo want is a machine not only highly qualified but also furnished with wide powers and an even wider discretion. (Applause.) The problem can only bo solved by a vigorous handling on business principles, and tho Commission with tho powers and discretions conferred upon it, is the first attempt at so handling it. The Commission is nnlike former ones. It Is unique m this that it will shape, prepare, and furnish Parliament with material So complete and digested that Parliament may at once convert the reports into law. The Commission will not wait until tho whole of the native lands of the colony aro investigated blit will bring up its work ready for conversion into law from time to time. I will give a hypothetical illustration. I am not pointing to any particular block of land, although a parallel could bo found. Suppose that in Hawke’s Bay, Auckland, or Taranaki, where enormous areas lie, there is a block of 20,000 acres of land good. If the title is ascertained, not necessarily individualised, the Commission will proceed somewhat on tho following lines :

(1) Ascertain the requirements of the tribe or liapu, sav 25.00 Q acres. (2) Ascertain the area, if any, reasonably required, in addition to the 2d,000 acres for descendants, say 10,000 acres. (3) Ascertain what area should he set aside as commercial land (as a common or reserve), say 10,000 acres. (4) Ascertain what, if any, area is required for la&dl ess natives, say 3000 acres. That makes 45,000 acres in all, leaving 155,000 acres out of the block available for European settlement. Now the Commission would require to decide how the 10,000 acres for descendants and the 5000 acres for landless natives should be dealt with. The areas should in any ease he inalienable. The form of tenure for the areas would lie considered and recommended by the Commission. Then the question of dealing with the 155,000 acres available for European settlement should be taken in hand to determine. (1) The term. (2) The area. (3) The sale or lease. (4) Safeguards against subsequent aggregation.

Then as soon as the. block finished upon the lines I Imre indicated and the requirements of the natives, the requirements for reserves, and the requirements for landless natives had been ascertained, as well as the balance available for European settlement, the Commission would report upon the block to Parliament with details sufficient to give immediate effect to it. The advantage of proceeding in this way would bo that the old system of delay for years and years would be entirely prevented, and In my opinion a practical solution of admittedly a troublesome and far-reaching question can and will be effected. Under the procedure governing this important Commission there is, of course, abundant land upon which the Commission can operate, the title of which has already been ascertained. As regards that land of which the title has not been ascertained tho Native Land Court can go on when Parliament nice ts, legal authority may he given to the Commission itself to ascertain titles or to direct ascertainment as required. Then as the natives arc somewhat strongly opposed to the the Public Trustee investing any portion of tho proceeds from their lands, there is no reason why the Boards already constituted should not he made use of for tho purpose of dealing with these proceeds .either from rents or from sales of such portions of their lands as ma-- be disposed of. It must not be forgotten that the difference between native lands and Crown lands is very great. The one is privately owned, though the safeguards of the State are necessarily in the interests of the natives, and to protect them from fraud or improper sales. I feel sure that the result of the Commission’s work will be valuable to the colony. That the North Island is developing very rapidly at present i.s well known. It is a happy circumstance, in my opinion, and augurs well for the future of tho colony, though some people may feel concerned at_ the increase of population in the North as against the South. I am not one who shares the feeling. I hold that no portion of the colony can go developing without benefiting more or loss every portion of it. and i tmust not be forgotten that while this increase is going on in the North, many of those who have helped to make the increase have gone from the South. It should be remembered that we want people. The insular, feeling ought not to he encouraged, and should not he a .factor in considering what is right in the interests of either island. (Applause.) For many years, largely due to the -Maori wars in the North, a great restriction against the development and progress of that island existed. That has happily all been cleared away, and now there is an activity and vitality going on there that should, to the mind of every impartial person in the colony be regarded as a matter of great satisfaction. (Applause.)

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