THE PURCHASE OF NATIVE LANDS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 332, 28 January 1911, Page 3

THE PURCHASE OF NATIVE LANDS.

Mr W. T. Jennings, M.P., has received the following letter from the Prime Minister in regard to the purchase of Native land "Sir,- —Your letter of the Bth insfc., covering a series of resolutions transmitted to vou by Mr James Collins, of Aria, on behalf of the Aria settlers, nas been duly received. As chairman of the Native Aii'airs Committee you are no doubt fully aware that under the Native Land Act, 19u9, the purchase of native land by the Crown can only be carried cut in accordance with the procedure laid down in Part 19 of that Act. Section 362 states that the purchase of native land by the Crown shall be conducted by the Native Land Purchase Board. Section ol'ii provides that the Crown may purchase from a Maori Land Board any native land vested in the Board, and which it has power to sell; such purchase being conducted by the Native Land Purchase Board. By section 367 the Crown may purchase any native land from a body corporate of the owners under part 17 of this Act. Section 368 provides that the Crown may purchase any native land in pursuance of a resolution of the assembled owners passed and confirmed in accordance with part 18 of this Act. Sub-section 2 states, 'When any such resolution has been confirmed and submitted to the Native Land Purchase Board in pursuance of the provisions of part 18 of this Act, the Board shall take the same into consideration, and may either adopt or reject the resolution. '

"The position, therefore, is this: That the Government on its own initiative cannot purchase any native land for settlement. Before such land can be purchased by the Crown, it must be offered by the resolution of the assembled owners; by a Maori Land Board; or by a body corporate of the owners. The offer in all cases must be voluntary. The Crown is only too glad to purchase any native land suitable for settlement in the Aria district, or in any other part of the North Island, but can only do so in accordance with the provisions of the Native Land Act, 1909. Native land can, of course, be purchased from any few owners who own the fee simple of thflir land. If the Aria settlers wiil induce any owners of suitable native lands to offer their holdings to the Crown in accordance with the provisions of the Native Land Act, 1909, the matter will be at once brought before the Native Land Purchase Board for consideration. "With regard to the question of roads, I am in communication with my colleague, the lion. Minister for Public Works in regard to this matter, as the formation of all roads in your district is being carried out by his department.''