NATIVE LANDS COMMISSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2338, 3 November 1908, Page 6

NATIVE LANDS COMMISSION.

GISBORNE SITTINGS

The Chief Commissioner (Sir Robert Stout) commenced a sitting of the Native Land Commission in- the Native Land Court Room yesterday. The first husiiicaV taken mas a petition in .the Wli-angara- case. Mr. W. L. Rees appeared for Mr. Jackson (the receiver), and Mr. H. J. Linn for Apaiti te Hama. A request- for an adourjnuient was granted, and, on resuming, Mi - . Finn stated that after perusing the petition: he withdrew from the ease. Eruera Rongoliiai appeared for the Native owners. Jtuwiri Karaha suggested that by taking the statements in order somo understanding might he arrived at. His Honor said ho would call on the petitioners to deal with the petition seriatim. The Commission could do nothing more than report to the Government. Mr. Rees said the accounts for 1907 : were audited and hied, and those for 1908 were in course of auditing, but' all could be produced. In reply to His Honor, Mr. Ju-ok-son said the amount available fgr distribution last year was £489 7s; the total rental was £683 15s Bd. It was distributed* individually according to the shares held in each division. In regard to the next point, thi.it the leases had been issued at less than their value, it was stated thi.it the leases were validated by the Native Lands Claims -Adjustment Act. Mr. Rees said that prior to that the leases were approved by the Natives at -a- meeting on March 16, 1889, and the receiver’s duties defined in. tlie Validation* Court. He would call Mr. Jackson to show that the orders were all-according to the Court’s decree, approved of by the Natives. Most of them were advertised, excepting three leases in Maori occupation made by Eruera himself. In regard to two leases the rents were not paid by the Natives; Kind Eruera and his people asked the Court and Mr. Jackson to permit them to assign these leases to Europeans, and the Validation Court approved of Messrs Wallis and T. Fraser as lessees. Mr. Jackson had insisted on the back rents being paid, which the Europeans had done. In reply to His Honor, Mr. Jackson said that there was no unoccupiedland available for which the Natives had applied. -He hid advertised land to be leased according to- the decree, and approved of by the Court in 1899 and subsequently in 1901. The rents were high at the time, but tilings were then at a -low ebb. He had- now been offered 12s an acre for Whangara E, but the Natives refused to accept it. The leases Avere all for 21 years. The longest leases were from 1901. Asked by His Honor regarding the points, first, that the leases, except to Natives, had been let to the highest bidder ; second-, that they had been- -approved by the Court and then -by Act _of Parliament, Eruera said he himself had agreed and. knew of no objection. He had stated that favor Avas shown because of what had been said- by the Commission as to the loav rentals. He had not understood the position from Mr. Jackson’s vierv point until the Commission had made enquiries. Evidence Av-as given by Rawhiri Ka-r3-ha, Hopi Hinaki, and Rutene Ko-, rua.

The petition next asserted that Mr Jackson 'had not supplied the Natives with accounts. After hearing Air. Rees, His Honor said he would look into the matter, and if he found that the’provisions of the lease had not been observed ihe wou'd bring the matter under the notice of the Government: The proposed arrangement with All’. C. Seymour was discussed, and it was agreed that the Commission and Air. Jackson should look into the accounts. .. * The subject of Alanguta No. .4, a petition to set aside trustees, was then taken. Panapa. AVaihopi appeared, and asked his grand nephew, Himiona Ivatipa- to explain matters. Himiona asked for new trustees, as they believed the present trustees were not doing their best for the land. Part was leased some five years ago, and part was still idle. There was no timber oil the land worth milling. Air. Rees said there was 2000 acres of magnificent timber worth from £ls to £2O i)er acre. His Honor said that no doubt the surveyors’ field hooks would show what timber there was. Himiona agreed' that any land on which there was good milling timber could be set aside. There had been a first mortgage of £540. Air. Rees and other people were paid their costs out of this when another £I4OO (had to he borrowed to pay further costs to Mr. Rees and others. Costs were for incorporation of block -and on that account the petitioners objected to the administration of the trustees. They considered' that if allowed to proceed as at present the land would he swallowed up in costs. Air. Jackson said the interest on mortgage absorbed the whole of the rents, and) he had only drawn £6O out of £260 salary. Mr. Rees-related the circumstances of the case. Himiona; said the main trouble was the expenses paid to Air. Rees and others. The trustees had' no right to pay so much. The petitioners, he said, had never seen the accounts. They agreed to the trustees’ salaries, hut did’ not anticipate that the revenue would be so small and asked that the clause he struck out. His Honor suggested l that the Natives, concerned lease 3000 acres which, even at Is p© racro, would; bring in a fair return, and' reserve 2000 acres to work as a communa.! farm. They would require a. skilled man to manage, but would not need to borrow much money. A. loan of £IOOO would he ample.” They, must begin small, and not go into debt. Their young men would have to work on the farms themselves. They should send two or three-of them, up the East Coast to sco how farming was conducted by the Natives there. His Honor concluded with a warning to the Maoris against mortgaging their lands. He asked the petitioners to consider the', matter, and announce their decision to him tin the morning. The Commission then adjonrned W to-day, .. . .