MR. MCNAB UP NORTH

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2056, 17 April 1907, Page 4

MR. MCNAB UP NORTH

GREAT AREAS OF NATIVE LANDS. Tlio Ministerial party, leaving To Awnmutu at oight a.in., drove through Pirongia and To Rau-a-Moa to the Opanui river, thence proceeding by launch to Kavvhia. At- Pirongia the Ministor inspected the bridge over the Waipa river, and a deputation pointed out that, owing to the rotten state of the structure and damage done by the recent Hood, which had boon 10 foot abovo tlio rails, the bridge was dangerous and no woiglit could be taken over it, so that a large district was kept back and a portion of Waitoina country could not bo sottled. Tlio deputation pointed out .a splendid natural position for a bridge above flood level, half a mile up stream, and asked for a subsidy of £ for £, the total estimated cost being £I2OO. The Minister promised to recommend the request for £OOO to the Minister for Public Works, and also promised his own personal support to such a vote.

About two miles out of Pirongia the Ministor was mot by Mr. J. Ormsby, who represented over 100 settlors, and asked for the construction of a bridge over the Moakurarua stream. Mr. Ormsby said tlio Waitomo County could not undertake tho work. The Minister promised to represent this to the Minister for Public Works. • Mr. Ormsby went on to complain that settlors who had bought native land could not get any advances from tho Advances to Settlers Office to develop their holdings.

Mr. McNab said that tbe land was in a peculiar position. It was in a sense freehold, but it could not bo be sold till the restrictions wore removed, and the Government would not lend money on that class of land. Ho advised Mr. Ormsby to represent tho matter to tho Native Minister, to try and get tho rcstric'tion removed, but said tlio Government could not lend unless there was absolute freedom of disposal. He would also talk over the question with tho Native Minister.

AN INDIGNANT SETTLER. Sir. Noonan then approached the Minister, and said lie resided at ICawhia. Tho Government had got the settlers to go on to land at Knwhia on promises of roading and had never carried out the promises. If he could got fair, compensation for the labor lie had put in, he would clear out to-morrow. The settlers were surrounded by native land, and tho Maoris used tlio roads more than anyone else, but didn’t pay a penny towards them. The natives got pensions and other molly-coddling troatmont, while the white settlors had to chase pigs amongst tho tussocks for a living. Tlio Maori and the pampered and petted town laborers were treated to tlio good tilings at the expense of the white settlors, and once the Government induced tho settlers to go on tho land it loft them there and oared no more about them. Ho also urged that a bridge he constructed over the Mangiatu river, and asked the Minister to lav this before tho Minister for Public Works, which Mr. McNab promised to do.

THE RAGWORT. At Te Rau-a-Moa the Minister was much interested in the experiments that had been conducted to rid tbe district of the ragwort weed. Tlio land, all bush country and rich soil, was taken up on the occupation with right of purchase tenure, and as soon as the bush was burned off the yellow ragwort made its appearance, taking possession of every acre. The Government then sent up a number of crossbred sheep and grazed them on each settler’s land iii turn, paying a small sum per acre for grazing rights. Very soon the sheep conquered tlio ragwort, and now the settlers have sheep of their own, and a ragwort plant is scarcely ever allowed to flower. Tho difference is found in, the fact that with the addition of the sheep on the pastures tho settlors are able to supply a quarter more milk to the factory than they were while running cattle alone, and tho district shows every sign i f prosperity on every hand.

In reply to the Minister, local resident* stated that they found that sheep on the same pasture as cows made no difference to tho milk, and tlie butter was of a high grade.

DEMAND FOR, ROADS. A largo deputation of settlors waited on tho Minister at To Rau-a-Moa, and the spokesman, Mr. J. Ormsby, jnn., urged the necessity of roading, as tlio dairy farmers could not convey milk to tlio factory'. He spoke of tbe necessity for opening up native lands, and went on to ask that tlio flying survey should be put in band of a railway from Jvnwn, on the Main Trunk hue, to Kawhia, a distance of 52 miles, and passing just behind Te Rau-a-Moa. Mr. McNab, in promising to lay the representation before Mr. Hall-Jonos, said the Government would not undertake the construction of any new railways till the present lines were finished. He would have the matter of the Hikurangi native block, which had been referred to, brought under the notice of the Native Land Commission.

HUGE BLOCKS OF NATIVE LANDS. After two hours’ drive through the picturesque bush scenery of the ranges between ICawhia and Te Kau-a-Moa, and after passing a buggy load of men who yelled an enthusiastic chorus of “Freehold for ever; kapai to freehold,” the party entered the great belt of native land, ICawhia County. The map carried by the Commissoner of Crown Lands shows the native blocks in yellow coior; freehold lands in green; occupation with right of purchase and lease in perpetuity tenures in white, and the reserves and Crown' lands in red. Needless to say the map is nearly all yellow, with less than a third white, one or two patches of red, and only one little speck of green. The native lands on this tour are generally referred to as “the yellow agony.” On every hand are these huge blocks lying absolutely idle and useless. They formed the subject of a representation to the Minister by a strong deputation at Oparau river bank.

Mr. C. 8011, speaking for about 15 others who were present, said that although they bad lived in the district seven years, the Government had never carried out its promise to road the land, upon which promise the settlers were induced to take up their holdings. Between their lands and the harbor there was a belt of two miles of standing bush. The whole of the harbor, for two or three miles, was surrounded by native land, and then there were the great Matakowhai and Mocrangi blocks, of 45,170 acres. The whole country was native land. In the Mahoe Valley 'there were thousands of acres of rich land. The Maoris were willing to part with it, and thoro was splendid grass land in the Taumatotara and Hauturu Vest Blocks. The Minister said one of the objects of liis visit was to look at the native lands around here. There was a lot of it under negotiation, and the Government was making an effort to try and secure the land for settlement, and by medium of the Native Land Commission was trying to force the -excess native > land into the market at on early I date. Tlio Commission was working I

up this way, and then tho land would bo dealt with. In tho meantime ho desired to collect all tlio information possible, with a view to tho troutmont of tho land when it was ready to open for European settlement.

Mr. 801 l said'that settlers in the To Awnmutu district had to go 54 miles to a railway, whereas if a road wore out through section 5, Block A, and section 2, a distance of two miles, tho journey could be accomplished in 22 miles. Tlio block had boon loaded seven years ago with 3s per aero for roading, and tho money had never boon oxponded. Tho Ministor said ho would carefully inquire into this, lor it came within his Department. Mr. 801 l said tlio settlers had to take wool and flax and other produce out on pack-horses, and carry in their goods in the same way. Tho Minister would hear a good deal about native lands on this trip.

Mr. McNab replied: “I don’t wonder at it, either.” —N.Z. Herald.