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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1999, 7 February 1907, Page 1

NATIVE LAND COMMISSION. THE ELIiST MEETING. Tho Na tive La ml Commission lielil its first sitting in the Supremo Court, Chrisleliurch, yesterday afternoon. Sir Cohort Stout, eluurman of the Commission presided. Mr Ngata, iU.II.IL, the other Commissioner, was uualtlo to ho present. The Hon. Dr. Eindlny, AttornoyGeneral, appeared for the Government, and Mr C. I*. Skerrott (instructed by the Govornmont) apponred for the'native land-owners. Mr Ostler, associate to the Chief Justice, read the Commission. Tho Commission set forth that Sir -Cohort Stout and Apirana Turupa Ngata had been appointed a Commission to enquire and report: —(1) What areas of native lands there aro unoccupied or not profitably occupied, the owners hereof, and, if necessary, tho nature of such .owners’ titles, and the interests a (footing tho sajno ; (2) how such lands can host he utilised and settled in tho interests of the native owners and tho public good; (3) what areas, if any, of such lands could he should ho set apart, (a) for the individual occupation of tlio native owners and for purposes of cultivation and farming, (b) as communal lands for the purposes of the native owuors as a body, tribe, or village, (c) for future occupation bv tho descendants or successors of the native owners, and how such land can in the meantime he properly and profitably used, (d) tor settlement by other natives than the native owners and on what terms and conditions and by what modes of disposition, (e) for settlement Ip' Europeans on what terms and conditions, by what modes of disposition, in what areas, and with wliat safeguards to prevent aggregation of such areas in European hands, (J) how the existing institutions established amongst natives and the existing systems of dealing with native lauds can host he utilised OJ adopted for the purposes aforesaid, and to what extent or m wliat manner they should ho modified. Tho Commission is given wide powers to examine witnesses and documents. “Von are required, the Commission continued, to transmit to me, under your hands and seals, vour reports and recommendations from time to time after the enquiries aforesaid have been made in respect of anv considerable blocks or areas of native lands, and transmit to me your first report not later than tlio lotli day of July, 190', and your final report not later than the Ist dav of January, 1909, or such extended date as may hereafter be named by me. And you are directed to so frame your reports as to facilitate prompt action being taken thereon, and in particular to fmansli in such reports sucli details.as to the lands available for European settlement as will enable Parliament, it it deem fit, to give immediate legislative effect to such parts of four reports.” THE CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. The Chairman (Sir Robert Stout) said: I just wish to say a lew words in reference to this mnttei, Ibo first is that Mr. Ngata lias been unable to reach here, having had to visit the ITrowera country, and it was impossible lor lnm to reach \\ ellingt’on, I understand, until Monday. I thought it better, however, that tho Commission should meet in order that you should hear wliat the intentions of the Commission arc. So far as I am aware, the position of the Commission will ho, I am afraid, an onerous one. There are in the Lorth Island—leaving out the South Island --no less than seven millions and a half acres of land still belonging to the native people; and of that' area there are at present about three million acres unproductive. No doubt some of that area will bo barren or useless lands —at all events tisoloss so far as ordinary agricultural and pastoral pursuits are concerned. And of those seven million acres, there are returned as owning it no less a number of owners than 103,6Q5 natives, so that many Maoris must have diverse interests in different blocks. The quantity of land, therefore, has to be considered, and the number of natives whose interests aro to bo considered is large, and in addition to that’ there is the evidence that has been given in the past before other Commissions and before the Native Affairs Committee, and there are the cases of natives who are disposing of tlieir land, and who often have not sufficient left to them for agricultural pursuits, and in other cases the land that is leit to them is not properly, utilised. There is also the difficulty of' persons being put on an equal footing with regard to obtaining native land not required by the natives, That has also been a matter of discussion and consideration for years past- in this colony. I may say that so soon as I received the Commission I applied to the Minister for Native Affairs for certain information as to blocks, areas, and other matters. He has kindly replied to me that lie has given instructions to liavp -a map of tho North Island prepared on as large a scale as possible showing the native land without title, showing the land held under native title, and under various stages of occupation and title, also the land under the West Coast 1 Native Reserves Act. I may also state that I have received letters both from the Under-Secre-tary for Native Affairs, and the Minister for Native Affairs, stating that they will he prepared to give every assistance in their power, so that the labors of the Commission can be lightened. I may further state that I applied to the Government to appoint some barrister to undertake to appear before the Commission from time to time as occasion might require—to be as it were a lawyer and adviser on behalf of the natives. A similar officer—as is well-known—ap-pears in all such cases in Court in Erance. If such an officer wore not appointed, the result would be that if the natives had to ho represented in each individual block before the Commission, tho cost would be. enormous to the natives, and it is not likely they would undertake it; and, further, tlieir interests might be overlooked, and the Commission might not he able to see tilings that a professional man would he able to point out. The Government have yielded to my request as Chairman of the Commission. I hope to meet Mr. Ngata in Wellington ;on . Monday, and as soon as we get wliat we require from tlie Native Department—or even probably before wo get the full information—so soon as we get tho information that will enable us to proceed with the work wo intend to go on with at once, so as to present an interim report to Parliament showing how we think this matter should he dealt with by Parliament and the Government. Of course it would be impossible to carry out tlio aim of the Commission and what is intended unless legislative power and sanction is given to wliat is reported and advised .by the Commission. I do not think it is necessary to say moro at the present time. THE ATTORNEY 1 GENERAL’S SPEECH.

Tho Attorney-General (Hon. Dr. Findlay), said: —From a return compiled by order of the Legislative Council, and laid on the table of that House on the 29th August last, it appeared that the native land ill the North Island consists of no less an area than 7,479,602 acres. Of this 4,006,670 acres are in the Auckland district, 1,420,295 in the Hawke’s Bay district, 687,549 in the Taranaki district, 1,365,05 Sin the Wellington district. It is also abundantly clear from this return that this enormous area of more than 11,500 square miles is mostly fit for settlement, and also that from reasons it is unnecessary for me to recount hero, by far the greater part! of it has lain, ever since New Zealand has been a colony. neglected and unproductive, resulting in a loss to the native owners, a serious impediment to settlement, and an economic waste to the colony, which grows appalling the more one attempts to estimate it. The last census returns state the Maori population of the North Island at 44,962, and the Rcgistrrfr-Genoral estimates the adult, male, and female, native population at 23,316, the’adult male population he estimates at 12,796. Many of these, moreover, are in different callings, rendering them independent of maintenance from native land; many of them, too. have means independent of land. If one compares these estimates of population witii the area of over 11,500 square miles of land still in native hands, it will be seen that with the 'greatest profit to the natives and to the colony large tracts of countrycan be devoted to European settlement. Where these areas are, their extent, and the terms upon which they should be made available for native settlement, is for this Commission, Tho Government recognise the