NATIVE LAND SURVEYS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 531, 8 January 1913, Page 3

NATIVE LAND SURVEYS.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER.

A deputation of surveyors waited on the Minister-of. Native Affairs (the Hon. W. H. Herries), at Auckland on Saturday to place before him a number of disabilities under which they contended, surveyors at present lay owing to the regulations in con*, nection with Native Land Court matters and the absence of co-ordination between, the Survey and Native Depar tmentss. . ,

Mr C. ; C. btway, the first speaker, said that a matter which caused great and unnecessary annoyance and delay to surveyors was the necessity at present of obtaining the signature of the Chief Judge of the Native Land Court to plans. It was argued that the signature of the Chief Surveyor should besufficient without going to the court. At present a judge not only <?igns the order but also has to, approve of the plans, and it often meant that the signatures, of two or, three judges had to be obtained, and several months lost in getting them. Mr Jackson drew attention; to the fact that .court orders had also to be signed by' the judge. . If- it could be made a rule that the registrar of the Native Land Court be empowered to sign the order, a' great deal of delay could be avoided. '

Another point stressed was the necessity of proper and accurate plans being furnished to the court, the lack of adequate descriptions and . plans available being thei cause of innumer* able delays and loss to surveyors at present. They were often told to do as they thought best, and afterwards they were informed they should have uune differently, and all very often owing to the absence of documents that should have been available. There v was, it was contended;' a lack of co-ordination between the Survey and Native Departments. Other matters touched upon were the collection, of back fees owing to surveyors and the raising oc the scale of charges for surveying. The Minister assured the deputation that as the Government were anxious to get the native lands opened as soon as possible, he would do anything he could to help them. He pointed out, however, that if alterations were made to the partition orders' signed by the judge, endless petitions would go before Parliament, while litigation would become rampant. It was'often found on investigation that a block did not contain the area represented to be in it. The trouble was that the Survey Department, was also concerned. He promised, however, to do what he could to save the lobs. of time that was involved though the plans having to go on to the judge. In regard to the oth«r matters, the Minister also assured the deputation that he would do his utmost to facilitate survey work on native lands.