NATIVE LAND COMMISSION,

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2060, 11 December 1907, Page 3

NATIVE LAND COMMISSION,

SITTING AT PORT AAVANUI. Tho first sitting of the Native Land Commission at Port Amanui was opened yesterday, ami was regarded as an event of much importance by the' Ngatiporou tribe, who prefaced the proceedings by offering a warm welcome to Sir Robert Stout and,Mr. Ngaita, M.P. Representatives of the Natives from Tokoinam to the Waiapn were present, the assemblage numbering about 100. Speeches greeting tho Commission •and touching on the Native desires in regard to the land were made by l’eno Hebei, Niho Kopltka, Hakar.ira Mnuhini, Pene Tulmka, Henare Mfl’hukn, and Apirana Ngata, M.P. In the course of his response Mr. Ngata, M.P., said that the question of whether tho Natives were entitled to a large portion of tho land for the future depended upon the Commission’s decision whether the progress of settlement of the land up to the present had been satisfactory or not. The President of the Commission (Sir Robert Stout) made reference to the importanc.e and potentialities of the Waiapu district. He pointed out that tho only hope for the Maori race was in becoming a farming people ; idleness and thriftlessness must be put asido. To sell their lands and spend their money recklessly would only be a curse to the race. The Commission desired to see how they could best utilise their land, and Parliament had made provisionlast year to enable them to get- their titles expeditiously and occupy their lands like the Paltelia. There might be [and hot, occupied or used, and last year’s legislation decreed that that must be sold or leased. Of wliat the Natives did nob use-themselves half must be sold and the other lial'.f leased, and the Land Board was given power to say whether the whole of tho purchase money was to be paid to tho Maori owners, or part of it hold and invested for them to earn interest. The Commission made the important suggestion that when land was to he sold or leased it was to be done publicly and go to tho highest bidder. In tho past the Maoris had not disposed of tlieir lands in a busi-ness-like way, in many cases not getting proper value. The intricacy and troublo involved in title in the past had contributed to this stato of affairs. The Commission would be prepared to hear tho names of young Maoris who wanted land, so that it could be set apart for them. Land that could not be utilised by the race would he defined, and tho Commission would recommend that half' be sold and tho other half leased. The desire was to do justice to the Native race. Theirs was a district splendidly’ endowed by Nature, and it would be a disgrace to them if they did not make it one of tho finpst in the Dominion. The President, on resuming his seat, was Jointly applauded. Tho Commission sat in the afternoon. During tlio proceedings Sir Robert Stout favorably commented on the Mangawhariki block, 7000 acres, inland from Waiplro. Some 1850 acres bad been worked by the Natives without waiting for their titles.