NATIVE LAND COMMISSION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 101, 9 October 1908, Page 5

NATIVE LAND COMMISSION.

The report of the Native Land Commission on King Country lands, •which was presented to Parliament during the present session contain the following:— in our report to Your Excellency of the 11th March. 1902, on the operation of section 11 cx "The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907, "we said, "We have found in the Eohe Potae country that since our report of last year was issued the Crown has bought large areas of land. Some areas that we recommended to be set aside for Maori occupation only have been purchased by the Crown, some areas that we recommended for leasing have been purchased by the Crown, and some areas that we recommended sale have been purchased by the Crown. -The exact area purchased by the Crown we have not yet been able to ascertain. The Land Department informs us that it cannot at present give us this requisite information. We may ask, how is section 11 to be carried out in the Rohe Potae country? Is the area that was set aside for Maori occupation, or for sale, or for lease, and that'has become,the Crown's property, to be deemed a sale under section 11? If not, are the Maoris to be found to sell still more of their land so that its provisions may prove effective? We are of opinion that, m view of the large area acquired by the Crown, and which will be available for settlement on the optional system, the strict enforcement of section 11 with regard to the area offered for lease and included in the schedules to tins report would be unjust to the Native owners. We have no general remarks to add to what is contained in our former report."