NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 502, 21 September 1912, Page 3

NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT.

progress of alienation,

In the course of his annual report, the Under-Secretary for Native Affairs says that the amount of work put through by the Native Land Courts shows a decided increase in comparison with the average cf farmer periods. A total of 19,042 cases was scheduled for hearing, while the number of gazetted sittings tutalled 75. Durring the period the courts investigated the ownership of a total area "of 58,572 acres hitherto unclothed with a title, and dealt with 980 partitions affecting an aggregate area of 431,166 acres. The Native Appellate Court has also been active, having had to deal with 148 casses. The revenue derived per medium of cour fetss, etc., received and outstanding for the year ended the 31st March. 1912, constitutes another record, in all amounting to £6626 12s Bd. The Maori Land Boards have been very active in the administration of trust lands, and in the revision and confirmation of private alienations. During the period some 469 leases vvere approved of involving a total area of 183,315 acres. Some 1220 transfers, comprising 122,869 acres, were consented to, and 27 morgages, covering an area of 7729 acres were confirmed Thfl area of lanfs administered by the boards totals 966,335 acres" For this area 133 leases have been issued, of a total area of 353,584 acres, and 71 transfers comprising 38,780 acres. Schemes for cutting up, roading, [surveying, etc., of the remaining areas are under consideration, and the land will be placed on the market at the first opportunity. Settlement is hung up for want of the completion of surveys which are necessary to comply with the provisions of the Statute before the lands can be placed on the market. "A word here as to the effect of the provisions of part 18 of the Native Land Act, 1909, upon settlement would not be out of place," says Mr Fisher. "Under this part of the Act alienations can be effected per medium of meetings of assembled owners by the simple process of passing a resolution and receiving the confirmation of the board."

Summarising the work of the department for the past two years, it is shown that an area of 1,001,996 acres has been ,alienated, of which 509,873 acres have actually passed from the hands of the native owners by way of transfer of the fee simple The Under-Secretary points out that the alienation of native land lias made far heavier strides in this period than in previous years.