NEW NATIVE LAND ACT

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 241, 12 March 1910, Page 2

NEW NATIVE LAND ACT

The end of Hie present month will see in operation the new Native Land Act, and it is anticipated that the result will bo the speedy release of nianv hundreds of thousands of acres of Maori lands and their sottlcmeiif, either by the Cr-nvn or Europe:'') settlers, or the Maoris themselves. So far as trio, private settle) - is c4flfl cemed, it is expected that the enabling ten or less owners to pose of their lands will prove a very considerable aid to the opening up of native land, and considerable. operations under that provision are anticipated. Under the Act the Governmenl. was given authority to expend £500,000 a year on the acquisition, survey, etc., of native lands, anil the indications are that when this section comes into operation at the end of tho present month between 100,000 and 150,000 will be available for purchase. It must be remembered that the money has, first oil all, to be raised per medium of tho State Guaranteed Advances Department, but the subject has been carefully considered, and it is probable that early in the new financial year the Government will have been able i;o devise a programme of its native land purchase operations for the ensuing 12 months. A considerable portion of the half-million allocated under the Act will, in all probability, be spent on surveys. Until surveys are made, no private negotiations can be concluded. Maori Land Boards cannot put land on the market, tho Crown cannot obtain a proper title, and the Maori owner cannot utilise the land, because he cannot ascertain what particular portion of a block belongs to him. Under the Act, the work of survey is to be undertaken by the Crown, the cost being charged against the land, and it is expected that in the effort; to promote settlement of native land something like AX r >,l>un or XUO.Oiil) will be expended by the G ivernmeiit in this direction. Regulations under the Act have been prepared, and these, together with the new Act, were to be placed before a conference of Native Land Court Judges, which opened in Wellington on the 10 th inst.