MAORI LAND CONFERENCE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 182, 16 August 1909, Page 2

MAORI LAND CONFERENCE.

The Statement made on Tuesday by Mr Holland, to the effect that the sittings of the Conference would close on Wednesday evening, had a most salutary effect, for when proceedings commenced at Waihi this morning it could be seen that the apathy of the previous days had been succeeded by a determination to get on with the work by the Native Committee. It appears, from what could be gathered, that the members themselves had been at loggerheads, and that the friction engendered had the effect of effectually minimising progress. The question at issue appears to have been connected with the apportionment of part of the lands under the title-mana of Mahuta, some demurring against the granting of the area usually set aside, namely, five per cent. The only protest the small minority could make was to stonewall, or leave the meeting for a time. Mr Kaihau, however, succeeded in overcoming this friction by showing that it was to their interest to facilitate progress, and thus endeavour to solve the Native land problem. The lands, he pointed out, were lying idle, and the time was coming when the owners of bush must bear fiscal burdens, as they were borne by the Europeans. This they could not possibly do unless the various blocks were delimited and partitioned. Mr Kaihau's reasoning and Mr Holland's statement appear to have been highly effective, for the Native Committee sat late that night arranging details as to locality, area and ownership of the lands to be brought before the conference. Hence the spirit of activity that prevailed. Those completed embrace nearly 40,000 acres, the largest blocks being the Taharoa, Waitakaruru.Wharekawa, Aoteaand Kawhia as well as some detached portions scattered over Waikato County, in the Pepepe, Onewhero and Opuatea parishes.

The main results of the Conference should be on the lines given by the Hon. A. T. Ngata at the opening of the Conference. In the immediate future Native owners of land must be prepared to pay rates and bear their share of taxing, as Europeans did at present. They are not now in a position to do so, as their lands are lying idle, and are unproductive. Unless these are worked, their rates will fall into arrears,and this will lead to alienation of part. To avoid this, the present Conference met, to learn the wishes of owners a3 to the fourfold partition suggested in 1907 to the Native Minister at Ngaruawahia, and, later,when Sir Robert Stout's commission sat at Huntly At the end of last year their suggestion was that Native blocks should be divided in four, one portion—the largest —being set aside for Maori occupation, a second for sale a third for lease, and a fourth for the Mana of Mahuta. When partition and delimitation has been agreed upon and legalised, the various areas will be surveyed and roaded, the expense of which will be a first charge on the land cut up intp suitable farms. Those Natives who so desire« can go upon the land, paying rent to a board which will be instituted, and which will look after financial matters. The capital derived from sales and rents will be i ivided proportionately among the owners, and will also form a fund from which advances may be made to Native farmers, in order to enable them to improve and stock their farms —a fund which can be administered on a pirnciple similar to the advances made to European settlers by the Government, The portion allotted under the title "Mana of Mahuta" will al3o be sold, and the money derived therefrom will be devoted to the purchase of certain tribal lands of historic importance between Taupiri and Ngaruawahia, where it is proposed to establish papakaingas, in which Natives can live a self-contained life under their own form of self-Government.

* To accomplish this and meet the wishes of the Natives the conference was constituted. That the scheme has appealed to the Native mind is shown by the fact that over a quarter of a million acres have been divided, and that in its adoption they see a panacea for their troubles and a means of enabling them to bear their share of fiscal burdens —a thing they are willing to do as soon as the way is pointed out to do so with some hope of success. Mr Kaihau is of opinion that the scheme will work smoothly and satisfactorily. According to him, land under Maori occupation will be subjected to periodical inspection, and if improvements are net commensurate with the standardset up, the unfortunate tenant will be relegated to papakainga, his place being taken by one who will work to greater advantage. That the Conference has been a success is undoubted, though the area which was to be dealt with scattered so widely as it is over the country, formed an obstacle to finality. It is the general opinion that similar conferences should be held at suitable centres, and should deal only with areas contiguous to such centre. It has had the effect of fixing the land of the Native owners on one broad general scheme of partition, freed from irritating and elaborate detail, and holds out hope of putting to useful purpose land now covered with fern, gorse, a: noxious weeds. The Native thoroughly in cii r c i = l l<siderable disappoi ture of tl c r ence be at 'ea c 1 I lie ( ]o X C legi ldiioi o. n. c our l o 1 -v. i be opened up, ti-tree and scrub giving | place to cultivation.