SETTLING NATIVE LANDS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 6 April 1910, Page 3

SETTLING NATIVE LANDS.

RMU'LATIOXS UXDKR Till'] NK\Y ACT. FiU'ilitsition of the settlement of native lands will bo afforded by the issue, of regulations under the Native Land Act of I'.HIII, which are to l)i- Gazetted during the month now current. In a forecast of these, tiie " I'lveniuig Post M states that ilwir chi,;f feature will be thconstitution of various circuits for tin* Native Land Court Judges. In the. past the Judges have held sittings at yarnus places, and lcve ccintinueil their sittings in:til the business I>i*Tri!•■•■ tli , . , cr.urt was disposed of. That system, it is considered in some quail-'i-s. conduced h> the development of the "taihoa" fe.'ling among the natives wl:o had bir-.iiicss With the court. There, was no need for haste: the court was there, and what was ui:t done yesterday could In , (lone jiisl. a.s well the day afti-r to-murrow. The n , - ''iilt was. in many cases, th , . , hanging up of busiiK'.-'s and Ihe u-iste (if time and inmiev iiy thc.s; , who weiv. '•onciM'iicd in th;> I;-11 *-■ •»• • h.-'i'drc the court. That is <;> douraway with. The rnnvt will sit ■•'( a cerhiin place r<n )i cerf.-iin (i.-'te. •:irl fir a dc'inito p-'rhd, i'.'.::l i'lnything !"l't u!" , "!!!' will hav; , to ;nvif next sitting of the court for i 1"

completion. I'v this moans it ihoped to "sp-.'fl up" the Maoris who have business, ,'>nrl triTv-sfor'n procrastination into lriritimnt' , l'.M.'-t". Enquiries made niii')n«.c these interested in th;? ruhje.ct <.•;•■ to shew that the position ;;l' nuti:.: land s'.-ttli-iiH'iit, is fairly .'■•ali.sl'iictory nt the present time. The new Act is designed to fncilit.'it" the sytt!: , -- i''H'iit, by way of leasa or ;-itle, ol" hind 'A'hii'.h has for nuiity years hc: j n Ivinu; i:!!i\ chii'fly fur tho rcnxn'i that it had not l)een dollied witli a titk , , and that it:; owium's had not been divided by tho courts, or, further, because the multitude of owners constituted a !>:s• to tho carrying out of arrangements For i!:- , lease to a European, Jt is pothered, however, tlntb in very many ilistiilifes tho lamd has. heuii put in one sido in a very largo miinhcr of cii.ses, and satisfaftary (tboiitrli technicuWy ill-ogal) ari'iuigeinc-nt.s liave been made btitween tho parties concerned for the leasing of tiinber-cut-ting rights and of land for reeiipation purpoße.s. undi ir tho new dispnnwit.ion. the court will first devote its energies to tho b<4: of partitioning and triving a titl • to tho large an.is of land nort.h of Whnugarei and inlsviv! on the Eiv-t Cn-ast. Thr-se 'ire the chief portions of .the island where the enurt' = servicM aro chiefly required in thi« and tho work will bo put in band ar, snnn as the regulations are gazetted.