NATIVE LANDS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2143, 27 July 1907, Page 2

NATIVE LANDS.

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION

Press Association WELLINGTON, last night. The Native Land Commission’s reports were laid oil the table of the House. In addition to detailed reports on lands in the Wanganui and King Country districts, there is a general one dealing with interim reports as a whole, which contains the following recommendations: A.—General —(1) That the purchase of Native lands by the Crown under tiie present system be discontinued; (2) that alienation by direct negotiatic n between the owners and private individuals be prohibited (in each cast provision to be made for dealing! already pending); (3) further alienations only through the board as agent for owners, or in case of lands vested in it as registered owners of such lands-; (4) Maori occupatui i and farming powers are to be -given to the Board to regulate the u ■.'! of these areas; (5) Boards to have special powers as to timber, flax, minerals, etc. ; (6) the Board may offer lands after rough survey indicating the allotment—arterial roads may be laid out and formed where absolutely necessary before selection, the cost of roading and survey to be loaded on the section; (7);Boards to be constituted as at present, but within that Presidents should be drawn from men experienced in the cutting up and letting of lands, and should bo Government officers paid by the Government, travellings allowances to be a charge on the '-revenue from the land, eaoli Board to-have a competent accountant as clerk and receiver; (8) the Governor-in-Council mu.’ except lands from the operation of the above proposals on condition th'.D lands so excepted be sold or leased at auction; (9) exception may bo made in favor of an owner who is considered able to manage his own affairs, on the jurisdiction of the Native Land Court being limited as to. land administered by the Board in" tlu matter of partitions, but not in regard to succession, testamentary disposition, ascertainment of owners or beneficiaries, and adjustment of disputed tribal boundaries, and the Courts may partition on the applicatio. of the Board • (10) the law requires amendment to permit of ‘exchanges on a large scale, so as to secure consolidation of individual and family holdings. T> - Specific Recommendations—these are concerned with individual blocks. Stress is laid on tho necessity for expedition in survey of Native lands, which is commended to tile earnest attention of the Government- and Parliament. . Following is the area so far investigated and reported on by tho Commission : Hawke’s Bay—For Maori occupation and farming, 75,003 accre.= , for leasing 14,827, for sale 2300; \\ anganm—For Maoris 49,904, for leasing 92,443; Tying Country—For J;; 8 ”™ 92,148, leasing 163,769, sale .-4,022; total, 526.977. Still to be dealt with ; —Wangunui, 90,485 ; King Country, 559,290

The Commissioners sav that if the -Maoris are. to become an industrious race steps will have to bo' taken to educate them to live differently, they consider two things necessaryfirst, primary education should have a 1 agricultural bias; second, guidance and leadership should be provided by the State if required in primal./ sohools, and should he extended to secondary schools, which persist in maintaining an ordinary grammar school course, not adapted to the presen" needs of the Maori people Th“ Commissioners also allude to the ev- ,■ , alcoholism and tolmngaism, which require combating. I„ con _ elusion they say that the Arawas, Agapulns, and leading men of Pov- ***"’ B i'Yi a £ d ? ast Coast have pressed the Commission to visit them am the Maoris in the North Island generally are anxious that the Commissioners should hold a detailed inquiry into their lands. The Commissioners are not yet in a position to make a definite recommendation as to rating,, taxation, and reforms in Native Land Court procedure and administration.