Rotorua Lakes.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 March 1922, Page 4

Rotorua Lakes.

AGREEMENT WITH ARAWAS

WELLINGTON, March 2S

Sir Francis Bell lias famished the following outline of the proposed agreement on. the claims of the Arawa tribe in respect to the Rotorua district. The Crown admits the Arawas’ rights to the ancient fishing and burial reserves in all lakes, and the Arawas admit that the fee simple of the lakes is vested in the Crown. A special board on the lines of the Rotoiti hoard is to he appointed to control the surroundings of the green lake, Rotokakahi and the island is to lr> one of the burial places. The Arawas are to have •If), instead of 20, licenses to fish for trout in the lakes at a nominal fee, but no trading in the indigenous fish of the lakes is to be permitted. The civil list, is to be amended by adding £•1000 to the present £7OOO for native purposes, and £OOOO is to be paid annually to the Board to bo establishied, :>r td'ie purpose, for the benefit of the n-.va tribe and its various liapus, the 11 to be used for the benefit of the tribe, not individuals. The •a d may raise, money for capital cxnd'lure, and interest and sinking fund is to be secured out of the annual provisions from the Consolidated Fund. The first payment from the Consolidated Fund is to be made not earlier than six months after the end of the session of 1923, the Act to be amended during 1922. For the expenditure already incurred in litigation over the lake, and other claims, payment is limited to £2OOO, which is proposed to be providled by the Crown in four payments of £SOO a year, the first after the session of •1923.