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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2060, 22 April 1907, Page 2

native land commission. INTERIM REPORTS. HAWKE’S RAY AND WAIROA LANDS. Press Association. WELLINGTON, last night. Sir Robert Stout, Chief Justico, and Mr Ngata, M.H.R., Native Land Commissioners, have forwarded to His Excellency the Governor two interim reports on the investigations they have lately completed concerning native lands. The first of these, dated March 19th, deals with the Waimaraina block, near Hastings, and with blocks at Mohaka, Wairoa, Nulinkn, etc. The conclusion they come to is that the mode of dealing with native lands in the past has not been beneficial to' the natives, nor to Europeans desiring ’ to obtain land for settlement, nor to the State. The Commissioners point ' out that Waitnarama contains an ' area of about 35,000 acres, and they give at considerable length a history 5 of the lease secured in 1886 for 21 years by Messrs Meinertzhagen and Moore, and the sub-lease of 15,000 acres granted by lessees to Mrs Arini .Donnelly and her husband , George ‘ prior Donnelly. The Donnellys also 1 received £IO,OOO for their aid in the 3 obtaining by Messrs Meinertzhagen ’ and Moore of a lease from native ’ owners. There has since been a " contest between Miss Meinertzhagen 1 and Mr and Mrs Donnelly, and Government has purchased a consider- > able area at £7 per acre. In the 1 opinion of the Commissioners the 1 Legislature did not intend to allow " lessees of native lands to obtain large blocks to the exclusion of others, and that no lease should bo " for more than 5000 acres. It was J the intention that no person should " 1,, allowed to hold more than one 1 lease, though this doubtfully express--1 ed. They cannot recommend that certain subsequent leases issued to 1 Miss Meinertzhagen should be given 0 effect to. It would, however, be only r fair that she should be allowed to 1 obtain a lease of one block. With ' reference to Paparewa reserve the ’ Commissioners recommend that all !’ the section, buildings, woolslied, etc., 1 should.be given to Erena Karauria, R MoYeliu Turoa, and Maraea Aoraugi. Other sections are recommended for C division among other natives. Ihe area assigned to Arini Donnelly in this division is increased to 3458 I acres. As to the disposal of the. II balance of the estate, the Commis- ° sinners state that in to " 5414 acres already acquired by Goy vernment the Crown should also. purchase lor European , settlement a three other blocks. They recommend. lV that the balance of block 3A, No. r 6, 2637, should lie leased to Morehu Turoa and Maraea Aorangi, Miss G Meinertzhagen receiving 4680 acres, d the latter lease to be for 21 years. ° From the evidence given the Com.G missioners have no hesitation in say- ’ ing that £7 is an extreme value for ti such land. In the midst of a land 1 boom the land might fetch more on c sale, but they doubt if any prudent lessee would undertake to give more than 7s an acre for such land, seeing G that .there is no provision for pay- _ ment for improvements. The actual cost to Messrs Meinertzhagen and d Moore of a leasehold over 18,000 acres was about £2200 a year. The unchallenged accounts show that during the last thirteen years the lessees made a profit only in the last three years. During the whole twentyone years of the lease there were eleven years in which the estate was worked at a loss. The nett profit without including any charge for 1 risk or personal supervision or management, was spread over the twenty-one years at the rate of '* £2092 per annum. Counsel for Mrs '■ Donnelly and party had said that a ’ portion had been made by the lessees out of their lease. Counsel on the other side might with much force ' have pointed out that Mr and Mrs '■ Donnelly must have made a vast for- !" tune out of the part sub-leased to ! them for a rental of £IOOO. The Commissioners consider that if they I arc bound by the terms of the Commission to inquire into profits made R by all holders of native lands in Hawke’s Bay and other districts, they' will be assisted by those who have held or are holding native lands on leases. c The Commissioners also make a report on the I’oukawo block, in which they recommend that the drainage 0 scheme proposed by Mr. C. E. Ken--0 nedy should be put into effect. II The second report is dated March l_ 22, and deals with the following blocks in Tnirawhiti Maori land district, in Wairoa County. Mohaka 1 and 2, acreage 24,255; AVharerarakarc, 3310; Tatakuriu, No. 1, 12,552; - Tutuotokaha 13 and 2 and 4, 6086; e Nuhaka 6 blocks 15,600; total acres, . 61,703. There are features in com:1 mon with all these blocks which will t be discussed in the general report \ later on, and are now only touched on :! briefly. Broadly speaking, the maz jority of the native owners have only small interests in other lands., They e occupy lands in some manner, and . protracted and costly litigation gives evidence of a strong desire to have 1 individual interests allocated so as v to make occupation effective. The f Commissioners 'dwell on the difficulc ties in the way of allocating these ine terests, which is an impossibility in i Mohaka and Whareraraku. Tliero t are some 200 individual owners whose s holdings are so cut up and scattered i after 35 years’ litigation that to survey and road them would absorb five or six years’ rent. Ultimately it would result in the purchase of the freehold two or three times over. In ) Nuhaka sub-division there is a mania , with owners of one block of 1200 , acrc f of worthless sand hills to cut it , U P into 70 sections. The Commis- ; si oners found an honest desire among I tbe Maoris to utilise their lands properly, and believe that with a little care and assistance it can be done. The Maoris’ wishes, summarised are: 1. To lease to some of themselves, t-ln; majority of the lessees being heads of families or connected by marriage with tile owners. 2. In some eases* where the interest of a small family is allocated this family desires to retain occupation. 3. In a few cases the owners preferred to lease to the highest bidders. 4. Small areas to be reserved as papakaingas for residence and cultivation, or to enclose existing kaingas. The specific proposals made by owners are dealt vit.li in schedules, hut the Commissioners’ approval of them may bo modified if the report of surveyors * shows that it is necessary. Legislation will he required to carry them into effect. It is recommended that a staff of surveys should be detailed for the work, to include the laying off of roads and the valuation of various subdivisions. The Commissioners reserve for a general report observations on apportionment of survey charges, county rates, and land tax, liability for cheeking the spread of weeds and rabbits, and other matters. In \Vharerarakii the Commissioners intend to make further enquiry upon which will depend whether they recommend leasing as a whole or in allotments, but if the former it should be loaded with improvements made by Heneriata Ivupa. In Mohaka they recommend, reserves SlO acres, to be used as individual farms 3294, to bo leased lo M aoris, the majority of whom are owners, 17,576, to bo leased to the highest bidders 1652 acres. conditional lease 793. Tutaekuri, No, 1,,' reserves 690 acres, family farms 2993, leased to Maoris 7088, leased to Europeans and awaiting approval of the Board 1780.

Tutuotokalia, reserves 100 acres, family resorvo 1243, to bo leased to Maoris 2023, to highest bidders 2620.

Null aka: Reserves 7-15 acres, family farms 4400, to be leased to Maoris 7461, to the highest bidders 1742, not fit for settlement 1152, over 2000 acres of this block aro suitable for dairy farms. Under these proposals tho Commissioners say over 200 Maoris will be put on their own land with good titles to fair-sized holdings. In conclusion the report says that under the Maori Land Settlement Amendment Act, 1900, tho Native Minister could vest all these blocks iu the District Maori Land Board for settlement and occupation by Maoris, but it is doubtful whether the wishes of the native owners would have been carried out ns the law now stands. If the Board were permitted to grant leases to Maori tenants specified by owners, or to issue occupation licenses or certificates of partnership or incorporation to individual owners, families, or keepers, there would be no necessity for further legislation.

ILLNESS ON FLAGSHIP. CASE OF SUSPECTED BLAGUE. LYTTELTON, last night. A suspicious case of illness has occurred on board 11.M.5. Powerful, the flagship of the Australian squadron, lying at anchor iu the stream off Camp Bay, Lyttelton. AVilliam Bridget!, canteen manager, arrived from Sydney by the Maheno. lie came, to Lyttelton on Thursday by the Mararoa. He complained of being unwell and was placed on the sick list. Yesterday Dr. Upham, port helath officer, went on hoard the Powerful and examined Bridgen, and found suspicious symptoms (which Dr. Upham states) may indicate plague, but again may he only influenza. He at once quarantined the Powerful. All leave is stopped and visitors are not allowed on hoard. Dr. Upham at once communicated with Dr. Finch .dictrict health officer, who was to visit the Powerful this afternoon to examine the patient. A conference had been held between the Lyttelton Harbor Board and Captain Halsey of the Powerful, with reference to bringing the vessel alongside the wharf during the remainder of her stay in port. It is understood that this was to have boon done, hut in view of Bridgeu's ease the Powerful is now quarantined and will have to remain in the stream.

ALLEGED MANSLAUOIITHII. CHRISTCHURCH, last night

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Edith M. Malznrd was charged with the manslaughter of her" child, Edith Mabel Malzard, by having caused its death by failing to give it sufficient care, food and attention. The charge arose out of the verdict of the jury at the inquest held on Thursday. The accused was reminded to Friday next. Charges of drunkenness and breach of a prohibition order preferred against her were held over for a week.

HORSE RACING. Press Association. WELLINGTON, last night. For the second day’s racing there was fine weather, and about 3500 people were present. A sum of £27,862 was put through the piacliine yesterday, making £30,684 for the meeting, aft increase or £4828 over last year. The double, Autumn and Suburban, paid £l7 6s. Tho results were:—

Hurdles: Pawa 1, Lceside 2, Assayer 3. Also ran: Levant, Sen Sen, and Rangitoto. Pawa took charge iu the straight, when Leesidc, who liad been racing in the. rear, challenged, but Pa.va held liis own all the way in the straight, and won by a length. Time 2.50 2-5. Div £2 and £1 Bs.

Hutt Handicap: Kureawaka 1, The Lark 2, Royal Blue 3. Also ran: Aeolus, AVirral, Seaman, and Scotch Reel. Royal Blue led for six furlongs, when Kureawaka took charge, and AVirral ran up third. Kureawaka led into the straight, and coming on full of running won by three lengths. Time 1.45 1-5. Div £4 19s and 13s. Muritai Hack Handicap: Moloch 1, Swimming Belt 2, Merrie Rose 3. Also ran: _ Armamento, Mataari, Truthful, Compass, Gold Guard. This was a good race. AVon by a neck. Time 1.32 4-5. Div £5 Os and 14s. Autumn Handicap: Sir Tristram1, Mystification 2.' Helen Portland 3. Also ran: Marguerite, Mahuta, St. Joe, Clanchattan, Naptha, Marguerite and Helen Portland led for about seven furlongs when Mystification and Sir Tristain mqved up Helen Portland was first in the (straight ,but 200 yards from home Sir Tristram rushed through, and won by three lengths. Time 2.12. Divs £3 12s and £2 ss. Suburban Handicap: Lady Annie 1, Contender 2 Medallist3. All started. It was a good race to the entrance into the straight, whore Lady Annio came and won comfortably by a length and a quarter, Pas Soul fourth. Time 1.31 2-5. Divs £4 and £4 19s. Pacific Handicap: De AAhtte 1, AVilliam 2, Chicane 3. Also ran: Cold Crest and Oxton. Do AVittc came with a latp run, and won by a neck.' Time 1.18. Div £2 19s. St. Legcr Stakes: Volume 1, Grand Slam 2, Seal Rock 3. ~ These were the only starters. Volume .stole a march on the field when half a mile from home, and won by a length, Seal Rock who was a ref! hot favorite, finishing a length behind Grand Slam. Time 3.22 2-5. Div £3 ss. Belmont Hack: Clem 1. Gauze - - Hire 3. Also ran: Erl King, Merry Rose, Kaiuku, Moata and Sago. ‘Won easily by a length. Time 1.17 3-5. Div £4 "s and £1 17s. The chief stake winners were:

Sir Geo. Clifford £730, Hon. J. D. Ormond £450, G. E. Moore £360 and E. Goodwin £335.-