ORAKEI MAORIS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 136, 25 June 1937, Page 5

ORAKEI MAORIS

-Preis Association.)

Crown Declines To Retun Lands * HOUSING FKOPOSAL

(By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, Last Night, A decision regarding the position of Maoris living at the native village at Orakei has been reached by the Government, which has now intimated to the Auckland City Councjl that it cannot see its way to grant the prayer of the natives to return to them the land purchased by tbe Crown. The Government als> undertakea to ascertain liow many homes would be required elsewhere to house the natives now squatfcing on Crown land at Orakei. Advice of the Government's decision was received by the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, and submitted to the City Oouncil to-night. In this communication the acting-Minister of Nativs Aft'airs, Hon. F. Langstone, said that, following an investigation into the besf method of arriving at a settlement of the problem affecting the Orakei natives and the Crown's purchases of lands at Orakei, the Government had decided that it eould not see its way to grant the prayer of the petitions of the natives that their papakainga and church site should be returned to them. The natives had also asked that an area of 40 acres at Orakei should be returned to them for a papakainga for them and to enable a model pa to be erected, but the Government had also decided that. this request eould not be granted. Mr. Langstone said the Government had no wish to act harshly towarda the Maoris and their relativel who were at present occupying Crown areas at Orakei, and was prepared to give sympathetic consideration to the question of finding, or providing, other accommodation for the Maoris, who would thus be required to move from Crown lands. Inquiries would be made as to how many homes would be required to house these natives and to find suitablo areas of land elsewhere on which to erect dwellings should Cabinet approv# of finding the funds required for the purpose, and on the cost involved being ascertained. The Minister also said that tho Government did not- favour the projecf of the erection of a model pa at Orakei. While appreciating the sentiment of natives in this respect, it was felt that to warrant the erection oi a model pn at Orakei there would need to be present some economic necessity for its location there, A careful scrutiny of the facts did not reveal any possibility of the Maori residents at Orakei finding m the area still owned by them an economic support capable of maintainmg that standard of living which tho locality demanded, The council referred the matter to n committee.