Native Lands.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 331, 27 September 1907, Page 2

Native Lands.

When tbe "Maori Lands Settlement Act Amendment Act” was before the Legislative Council n August 29ib, 1 here was some discussion thereon, aod wo quote from Han ardihe speech t ien made by tbe Hon W. W. M‘oardle, M.L.C.: —"Any one acquainted with the large blocks < f Native land bat lie in the various districts of th*King Countr\ must realise that any p rsoc from that quarter is brought every day face to face with the grea* b ock to the settlement of those lauds. Nothing has been done by the Govern meat that has given mure satisfaction than the fact that they have brought i 1 the Native Lands Purchase Bill. I am only corry that the amount asked f»r in that Bill was not a larger su.n -that i sum equal to tbe importance of the q iestion was not on the estl mates this session. I have a word or two to say about the land purchase in tbo King Country. I should like to see an opportunity given to the Council to look at the map of the Kawh>a County, for instance, and the other adjoining oountie’, and they would sie there that more than half of rhe whole 1 nd is owned by tbe Natives. We are pleas: d to know that in this district, especially abiui Te Kuiti, a certain amount of land has been pur chased, and intended purchases have been negotiated in :he Kawhia C unty. But, I think a mistake has been made on the of tbe Land Purchase Department in that no officer has been sent to Kawhia to open up negotiations with tbe Natives. The Natives are mod anxious to meet the Government and place at tbei dhp >sal large blacks of soma of the finest possible pastoral land in the North I-land: and it is a mistake that Natives who wish to sell should have to go till the way to other districts, where hotels are plen tiful, and the chances are the money they receive may bo wasted before thoy return home. Kawhia is a prohibition district, and in Kawhia the Native Land Court ought, I think, to sit. Lately, in dealing with the Lands in Kawbia County, t: 3 Native Land Court sat in Raglan,where there are hotels and facilities for the Natives to spend their money. In Kawhia there are no hotels but there are accomodation-houses to accomodate all the Natives that might require to attend tbe Court, while at the same time there is a large hall available for the use of the Natives to discuss their various interests at the Native Land Court. Besides, there are large Native settlements in and around Kawhia, where stringers would receive tbe best of treatment from the tbe Native settlers. Then, again the Native] have been appealing to the Department that tbe sittings should take place at Kawhia. There are hundreds of Natives there—it is iht» most thickly populated. Native district on the west oast —and large numbers of them are aged persons who cannot possibly travel -to Te Awamutu, fortyfive miles off, to meet the land purchase agent. This is, perhaps a question of detail, but on this question of detail hangs a great deal of importance. It is important that those perons who are desirous of selling should be brought more directly into contact with the Land-purchase Department. There is this point to be considered: We, the Kawbia County and Town Board, are borrowing money and expending it in making roads. Now, all round Kawhia Harbour there are four miles of Native land surrounding it, and it is necessary to make roads through this Native laud, from which no rsvettue is derived. And there is this fact to be realised by the Government : that these lands when roaded ri in value; but instead of the country getting the advantage from this increased value through the construction of roads, they have to pay extra money for the purchase of these lands. I cannot urge too strongly on tbe Government the desirability of securing the land as rapidly as possible. In regard to the land being leased by tbe Natives, the unfortunate position is that tbe Natives become like men from the Old Country who depend on remittances. Nothing undermines and destroys the energy of the Native more tbau to feel that he is able to depend year after year, on his rents. If we show him he has got to depend on his own energy ho will improve his own land, with the Government assistance and advances from his sale of lands. I may, perhaps, bo pardoned for allud ing to a portion of the report made to the Government by the Native Land Commission that has been lately sitting, and one of their recommendations I cordially agree with, and I think it should be given effect to—namely, that when a Native sells bis land he should not bo allowed to take tbe money and spend it as be likes, but that the money be preserved in his interest, and expended in improving bis own homestead, and make him a self-relying settler on his land. I feel very strongly on the queslion of the settlement of these back areas of land, and I should like to emphasize the fact that if they uro secured by the Government, leaving the N dives sufficient for tbeir own use, it will bo found that a community of settlers working hand in hand for the progress of tbe country—Native and European—having one aim and interest, will follow. Bat, as things are at present, the Native occupier is blocking progress and preventing set tiers taking up these back-blocks.”