NATIVE LANDS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 135, 1 March 1909, Page 5

NATIVE LANDS.

Opening for Settlement. The Hon. J. Carroll and the Hon. A. T. Ngata have, during the last few day* been busy holding important conference* in'regard to the opening op of Native lands in the north. As a result of thesw deliberations some important development* are about to be given effect tow The Hon. Mr Carroll was busy all day on Friday at the Government buildings in conference with the Presidents, Judge Brown and Major Pitt, of the Maori Land Boards in the Auckland Provincial District, covering th* whole of the North of Auckland, Wat kato, and the King Country, and the East Coast, and Bay of Pfsnty districts between Corotnandel and Opotiki. The Hon. Mr Ngata and Judg* Fisher, the Under-Secretary for Native affairs, i "V were present, and also Mr H. T. Mit- | ehelL who is in charge of the Native | land surveys in the Bay of Plenty dis- ! trict.

Tw> targe blocks, one of nearly 20,000 acres m the Hokianga district.

and the other of 35,000 acres in the Bay of Islands are. Mr Carroll says, nearly ready to be offered for selection. It is understood that on the latter block there are, roughly, Sft.OOO.OOO feet of timber The open lands on this block should be ready to place on the market in May next. Jn the North, as in other Native land districts, Mr Carrooll says, it wilt be necessary to obtain the services of competent surveyors. In the first place to complete the orders of the Native Land Court, so that some of the areas may be brought under the Native Larid Settlement Act of 1907, and the machinery of that act se* in motion: in the aecond place, to sob-divide the areas recommended for general settlement, and have them placed upon the market. The Native Minister has directed arrangements to be made for getting out two or three survey parties for the North of Auckland, and the same number for the King Country.

In the Bay of Plenty district, outside the area affected by the Thermal Springs Act. *teps are being taken to veat in the Board, for Eoropean settlernnnt, an area of 36,0*W> acre*, for the greater part of which there arc comptcta*tittes,9o that the Board should be in a position to put a targe proportion of th» area on the market without much preparation. Within the Thermal Springs district an area of 3600 acres, at a distance of three or four miles from Rotorua, en the main road to Kototti, have been surveyed, an da provisional scheme of •OD-ettviiaon-foT settlement purposes is. ondtr consideration bf the awtbwritie*. TKfc ar C)t sfyiniJ ue on >ht: market wittnn the next three months. The Hon. Mr Carroll is visiting the

Urewera Coon try in order Co constiote a general committee for that special district, the appointment being necessary before the Government can acquire the tand for settlement, being about 80,000 acres dealt with by the Native Land Commission. Arrangements have been made for carrying on surveys at Te Kaha, Opotfki. and Whakatanc over an area amounting to about 50,000 acres. The position of Native tand in the Waikato and King Country was also consdercd at the conference, and arrangements marie to put on two or three surveyors in the latter district to visit and report upon the land* set apart for general settlement. In view of the recent acquisition by the Crown of a large area in the King Country, it is important to ascertain bow far the scheme of settlement proposed by the Commission can fit in with the settlement of the Crown lands now undergoing survey.