Ths Land Board.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 248, 2 March 1906, Page 2

Ths Land Board.

Th« members of th » Auckland Land Board and party left Kawhia < □ Sunday last for Kinohaku in Mr Morgan’s launch, tha weather being very boisterous. Whilst, going across tbe harbour the launch just escaped running into a waterspout, the sight being an extremely novel one for those on board. The usual deputations and j complaints were heard at Kinohaku, . after which the journey to Te Anga ! was accomplished, where the night j was spent. The next day the party went down the Marok >pa River and on -to Kiritehere, where they were again interviewed, oue of the chief requests being the establishment of telephonic I communication. A start was made for Awakino the next day.

The following article from the Auckland Herald of Tuesday last will no doubt prove interesting reading : —“We are glad to know that Mr Jas. MackenEie and the o'her members of the Aookland Land Board have paid a personal visit of inspection to the Kawhia country, and have seen for themselves how tbat magnificent district is held in idleness by the Native Land evil. Mr. Mackenz : e is started to have •aid that he aiw “far too much” Native Land. No other opinion was possible. Round Kawhia Harbour itself, the natural subsidiary port of a great West Coast dietric’, the grip of tbe native owner throttles ail progress and makes stagnant what shoo Id be one of the most thriving parts of tbe North Island. It is amazing to think that within a few hours’steam of Onehunga, in a district which many hundreds of would be settlers are familiar we are on the verge of a region made r wilderness by oui extraordinary native land laws. The absolutely incorrect allegation that what those who clamour for the opening of the Maori Landa want is the opportunity to buy great estates for a hundredth part of their value from the unprotected native, is tbe only answer that can be made by those responsible for indefensible locking-up. What » actually wanted is that Native Landa should bo acquired by the Crown wherever desirable and thrown open on the tsrms a* Crown Lands are thrown This would draw a flood of settlers to the Kawhia Country, make Kawbia Harbour the great coastal shipping port it ought to be, increase the trade of Auckland and the revenue of the colony —aud hurt nobody. It is now possible for the Government to thus acquire Native Land, and we hope that the visit of the Land Board will speedily lead to wholesale acquisition, and to the blessings that cannot fail to follow in its train.”