NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 471, 5 June 1912, Page 5

NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

NEW GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS

The settlement of our native lands, said the Prims Minister during the course of his policy speech on Thursday night, was proceeding at a more satisfactory rate than many were inclined to credit. The native land alienated last year totalled 647,631 acres, of which 33(i,000 acres were by way of lease, 219,887 by sale, and 91,744 by Crown purchase, while probably 30,000 would have to be added to the total, bringing it for the year to approximately 678,000 acres. The balance of unoccupied lands was now reduced to 2 405,395 acres of which 100,792, acres were native customary land. There were in the East and West Taupo and Rotorua Counties 640,663 acres, leaving 1,661,940 acres of land to be dealt with including the Urewera lands, in the north of Auckland district, comprising, according to a return of March, 1908, an area of 3,802,880 acres, only 791,881 acres was native land. Since that date some 290,893 acres had been alienated by way of sale and lease. During the short period they had been in office his colleague the Native Minister had been specially considering how improvements could be made to simplify transactions in alienation from the native to the European settler. The Government was of opinion that the surplus native lands could be dealt with more on the lines of the Crown lands of the Dominion than was the case under existing conditions. He was also of opinion that bona fide dealing by settlers with the natives for small areas for close settlement would be in the interests of both European and native alike —that is, if duly safeguarded. There was at present being compiled a plan of all the native lands in the Dominion, showing their location and area. When the maps were prepared they would afterwards be kept up-to-date, so that it would always bs possible for anyone to ascertain the position regarding native lands at a glance.