POLITICAL NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 686, 15 July 1914, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

NATIVE LAND DEALINGS In referring to native land m3ttera in Parliament last week Mr C. K. Wilson, member for the district, stated that during the Liberal regime transactions had been sanctioned by native land boards allowing paople to acquire areas of land four timas as greataa the law allowed. Mr W. D. S. Mac Donald, Bay of. Plenty: That is not correct. Mr Wilson said that if an inquiry were made into dealings in native lands.during the three years before the prespnt Government came into office the revelations would be surprising. Land had been purchased in some casss through the native land boards, and within twenty-four hours the purchaares had sold again at prices ranging up to £2 5s an acre for goodwill. They had been told about the present Government robbing the natives of'their lands, but what ihe Government had done was to put a stop to the practice of the speculators. The Government had taken the power away from the private speculators, and had taken to itself the preemptive right of purchase to which it was entitled under the Treaty of Waitangi- The present Government would do every justice to the Maoris, but the country would not go back to the "taihoa" policy. He mentioned a place on the Main Trunk line where level land was wanted for township purposes, but where the native owners were asking £2OO an acre. That price would willingly be paid if a good title could be obtained, but here there was the usual difficulty. This was what blocked progress. MINING LANDS COMMISSION The commission which js to inquire into matters relating to land tenure in the Hauraki mining district and the township of Ta Aroha was gazetted last Thursday. The commissioners are Messrs J. Strauchon, chairman, Major Lusk and Mr Albert Bruce. . The matters into which the commission are to inquirs are:— 1. Whether the administration ol the timber areas in the Hauraki district inthe past has been in the best interests of the State. 2. Whether the existing dual control by ths warden and the Land Board should be ahoiished and whether the Land Board alone should deal with applications for the sale of timber. 3. Whether it is desirable to recontinue tho existing classifications of timber. 4. Whether the existing tenures under which land in the Hauraki district and Te Aroha may be occupied are satisfactory." • 5. To what extent it is desirable to amend Buch tenures with due regard to mining and other interests. 6. Whether the holders of licenses and leases from the Crown in Te Aroha should be enabled to acquire the freehold and on what conditions. 7. To what extent the provisions of the Mining Act and the Land Act in regard to the disposal of timber and the occupation of land should be amended. The commissioners are required to report by August 3tlst.