NATIVE LAND TRANSACTIONS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2159, 15 August 1907, Page 1

NATIVE LAND TRANSACTIONS

ALLEGED AGGREGATION. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, August 13. Mr. Lauren son, speaking on t.lie Maori Land Settlement Act to-day, read a letter from a man whose name lie said he would give to the Minister. complaining of the aggregation of estates through the leasing of native lands by Europeans in Waiapu and Cook counties. The writer particularly referred to applications by the Williams family who, he alleged, though holding 190,000 acres on lease, were applying to the Native Land Court for another 30,000 acres. Mr. Laurenson admitted that he did not

know very much about native affairs, but if what the writer of the letter said was true, then there were no words strong enough to express his (Mr Laurenson’s) feelings. The writer of the letter stated that at the present time this Land Court was simply being used as a cloak for mosit atrocious acts against natives. If what the writer said were true, or even

half of it was true, then a scandal was being perpetrated. Mr. Carroll explained. He said there was no limit to the number of applications that anyone could make, but it did not follow that the Native Land Board would grant thorn. He pointed out that the matter was not dealt with by the Native Land Board

at all. Mr. Laurenson stated that the writer stated (and he also had found so) that the decrease in the sheep "c----turns and the increase in the cattle returns proved that there had been aggregation of estates in the Waiapu comvtv. He would not read the

stronger parts of the letter, hut it was a letter written by an educated man and one of some standing in the district. Mr. Hurries pointed out that the stiringent conditions' in clause 10 of the Act would thoroughly guard against aggregation. If the statements made were true the Land Board was not doing its duty.