MAORI LAND SETTLEMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2154, 9 August 1907, Page 2

MAORI LAND SETTLEMENT.

THE GOVERNMENT’ NEW POLICY.

PROGRESS OF PURCHASES.

Special to Times,

WELLINGTON, August 8 A Bill authorising the borrowing of u further sum of £50,000 to be expended in the purchase ol Native lands under the provisions of the | Maori .hand Settlement Act, 1905, was read a second time in the House of llejiresentatives last night. In addition to the borrowing poiyer the dill provides that- notwithstanding previous legislation to tlm contraiy the Government may acquire any undivided interest owned by a Maori even though the other undivided interests in the same Native land have not been acquired or paid for. The Hon. Jas. Carroll (Native Minister) made a general statement in regard to tile Native land- purchase operations. He said the Bill jet right certain doubts as to the Government’s operations in the acquirement of land shares. The Government had purchased or had under negotiation at the present time 200,016 acres of Native land in tnn Auckland district, 7953 acres in Hawke s Uav and 117.975 in Taranaki and Wellington, a total of 320,945 acres, fie could not tell the area, actually purchased but it *was considerably rvcr a hundred thousand acres. Iho unount spent up to the present was £160,389, leaving an unexpended balance of £96,824. In future, if the Governments policy measure was passed, they would be able to adopt a. different principle of acquiring -Nativo land which would obviate the necessity lor .’urther procedure under the Native band Settlement Act. The Governnent did not intend to proceed further with its Native land purchasing operations. There were about 3,000 acres still to acquire in Hawke’s Bay while in the King Country purchasing iperations would go on until the vliole area under negotiation had icen purchased. The Government ■ad refused to purchase any more and in the Taranaki and Wellington listricts where its interests at the -resent moment amounted to about 0,000 acres. They also had a large re* totalling 53,234 acres which had icen obtained under survey. The idoption of the Government’s propoals would, the Minister continued, briate the necessity of the Crown purchasing direct from the Natives twofold operation in the way of -:iy-ng the Native land purchase •llicers and going before the Native band Court which meant delays, inconvenience and expense'. In-future the alienation of Native 'and would be direct to the public through some statutory body which might be agreed upon. Mr. Massey said lie hoped the oolicy measure referred to by the Native Minister would be brought down early so that members would have a full opportunity of considering t. He thought the Native trouble vas the most' important calling for -ensideration by Parliament. A law which allowed such chopping and •hanges and other transactions as had taken place in connection with •he Teanau block should not bo allowed to remain on the Statute book. Mr. Ngata stated that at the price which land was now being acquired by the Government it would take 650,000 or £60,000 to acquire the 100,000 acres still remaining under negotiation in the Auckland province. I’he available area in Hawke’s Bay was already purchased and there would be no fresh purchases in Taranaki and Wellington. What provinon did the Government intend to na'ke against the wasteful expenditure of the large amount proposed to be distributed amen" the King’s Country Natives. The House should have an assurance that full inquiries were being made by an independent tribunal, such as the Native Land Court, as to whether sufficient land remained for the. purposes of the Native - owners. He also wished to I know whether the Government intended to continue the unjust system of confiscating the interests of the majority of the Natives by utilising their power of purchase where "hey held the majority of shares in a block. Mr. Herries hoped the Native Minister would take heed of what the last speaker had said. So far they had seen no proofs of the policy initiated in 1905. £200,000 had been

■•oted for the acquisition of Native land and now the House was asked

!;) vote another £50,000. There must have been over £IOO,OOO spent on Native land, yet not a. single acre had so far been made available for settlement. If the European population had to wait for this policy to bear fruit they would grow grey headed before it came into operation. The Native Minister told the House that the Act of 1905 only really came into operation in 1906. What they had completed under the power of that Act was only of recent date and the previous l speaker must be aware that there were difficulties, and delays occasioned by wants of surveys and other requirements which needed fulfilling. In the acquisition of Native land it must be remembered that- they had thousands of owners to deal until and as they "had to get the signature of each individual owner it must necessarily take a great deal of time. All his powers he had fully exercised. There was no desire on the part of the Government merely to meet jthe earth hunger and the clamor ’ for land. They had also to have consideration for the benefit and condition of the Native people. They required to do what was far to both sides.

Tho second reading was agreed lo

NATIVE PETITIONS. (Special to Times). WELLINGTON, August 8. The Native affairs committee has no recommendation to make regarding the relation of Katerina Puhura and another, of Gisborne, praying for inclusion in tlie ownership of the Mangahera block. In regard to the position of Raugitaniwlia Pilianca and another, of Oeo, near Manaia, praying that the public trustees be not permitted to lease certain lands, tlie committee has no recommendation to make as the_matter was dealtwith in the Maori Land Courts Adjustment Laws Amendment Act of 1906. The committee _ has no recommendation to make in the case of Waata Kanaiti and others praying for a rehearing in re the Waihau block.