NATIVE LAND COMMISSION

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2052, 2 December 1907, Page 1

NATIVE LAND COMMISSION

SITTING AT GISBORNE

'l',he Nil hive Laml Commission, Sir Robert Stout, C.J., and Mr. A. J. Ngatii,- M.H.R., met at the Gourtliouso on Saturday morning, the cause of the sitting being to ascertain how much native land in the district was available for settlement.

KOPUA BLOCK. Mr. W. L. Rees mentioned the Kopua block, part of tlio Maraetahi block. In 1878 the land was vested in himself and Wi Pere as trustees. The (Native boneliciafies had been in occupation over since, and tlio land was kept solely for tlio use and occupation of them. Now ho and AVi Pore wished to he relieved .of the trust. The estate was originally of 3000 acres, but two blocks of 250 acres ' each were cut .out for Hr. AVoodbiiie-Jolinsoii... The. Natives did not seem to be able to.agree about quashing . the trust. Some of them had other land and some had not.

The' Natives lived on reserves, though they were not named in the title; and tilley had given up other land. Hama Ilona Paliaiu said ho lived on the block. iHis name, was not in the title-, but his grandfather’s was. The Nativo Land Court had confirmed his grandfather's right. He iluld moved to get a title, but nothing could be done owing to the existence of trustees; The land was very suitable; for farming. It was desired till at the land be used for exclusive Maori occupation. The Natives bad not yet discussed how the land was to lie divided amongst those in the title.

The Chief Justice said that it was tlio desire of the Commission to see the .'Maoris efficient farmers like Europeans, and they were of opinion that the-best way to do this was to divide tile laml., If tile whole of these 2500 acres was left to bo worked by everybody, filings Mould not be done properly, and the best would not be got from the land. Unless this subdivision were carried out and ;tho Natives worked their land, the trace would most probably die out.; He suggested'that'the Natives interested should meet and endeavor to decide on a subdivision. It was not ,absolutely necessary for those interested to become the farmers, but {they could lease their land to the younger men. The Natives interested should meet and decide on a subdivision, and also on suitable persons,to be lessees, a special effort being made to draw the young men into occupation. Mr. Rees said that an endeavor to hand tlio land to the East Coast Native. Land Trust Board had failed. •His Honor said it Mould not be necessary to do so, if a proper subdivision Mere carried out. MR. JACKSON’S TRUSTS.

II: C. Jackson, trustee, produced returns of various estates tor which he was trustee. The ALlidation Court appointed liim solo receiver for the AV’liangara estate, all of u-hich was leased except about 700 acres. The rent-roll at present u\is about £OBO, but the. rent n’as a' rising one. Tlio leases were all for'2l years, without right of renewable. The first lease m'ii-s i granted in 1891. His powers M'ero under the control of the Validation Court. He had poucr to collect .and disburse rents, and in one case he acted as manager of tho Jand. iMangatii No. 3 and 1 Mas in the Lands of three trustees —the Commissioner of Crown Lands, AVi Pere, and u-itness. No. 3 was subject .to a lease dated 1901, granted to Barker Bros. No. 4, 6000 acres, was ,not leased. The Natives proposed to utilise the block .as one farm, under the management of a committee. Eor bushfefliug, contracts Mould be,made. There Mas a (mortgage over tho two blocks of £2IOO. His Honor said what should be done u-as to carry out a system of working M'liich Mould give the Natives .a sense of responsibility. AVitness, continuing, said the area of Block 3 Mas 3680 acres. The valuation on No. 4 M r as 10s lier acre. Barker Bros.’ lease M-as for 21 years, 'with right of roneual at revaluation. The owners of No. 4 had other land, and had never occupied the Manga.t-u land. Some of them farmed land elsewhere. Mangatu No. 1 M as held by the same trustees as the previous blocks, but by a different committee. It was proposed to lease some, of the land and to occupy other portions, the milling timber in each case being conserved.

EAST COAST TRUST. T. A. Coleman, commissioner of tins East Coast Native Land Trust, put in a. schedule showing the land under bis control. Some of the Natives in the Tahora block Mere farming their land. . Ho would give titles to owners when, tho Validation Court decided who should have titles. The Natives holding Paremata asked that; the block bo farmed as a whole. The Natives Mould be paid for work done, and u-ould also receive a share of the not profits. _ln Tahora and Mangapoike tile Natives had not yet decided what to do,' though they M-islied to uso tho land to tho best advantage. FUTURE BUSINESS.

The Commission adjourned a,bout noon till 10.30 to-day, when Colonel Porter, president of the Xai-ltaiw-hiti 'Maori Land Board, will- be examined. {Matters in connection. with tho Puninga and Mangaliawiiii blocks will also be dealt with.