Native Land Purchases.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 379, 11 September 1908, Page 4

Native Land Purchases.

In a report just presented, of the Maori Land Purchase operatioo for the year ended March Slat, 1908, Mr Mr W. H. Grace, Purchase Officer, speaking of blocks in this district says:— Re Kiuohaku East and West Blocks . I have purchased a good many blocks, but there are still a great number i n which the natives have not sold scattered amongst the holdings held by European settlers. The most of the above blocks are unoconpied by the Maoris, and are not being utilised b y them. All, lam sure, could be acquired in the course of a short time; a t present the owners are holding out for better prices, and da not seem to care about dealing with the land Id any other way than by sale. They nearly all say that, the interest of each individual in each block being small (only a few acres) it is therefore useless to lease, for what they would get from the land in the shape of rent would be so.small that it would be of no use in the way of maintaining them. Re Taam&tatotara Block and its subdivisions. —Of-the above I have acquired only 2,362 acres, or thereabouts. This block, as you know, lies in the middle of a large district settled by Europeans. It is situated, as you know, in the Kawh la Bouth Survey District. As the land is in no way utilised by the Native owners, the acquisition of the same is most necessary, so as to advance the settlement of that part of the district. The owners show little disposition in the way of selling, nor do they seem to care about leasing. Any owners whom I have approached wish to sell, but the price they ask is far above the value put on the land by the Government Valuer. Re Moerangi Block.—This large block, comprising 45,000 acres, and situated between Raglan and Kawhia, is still in such a state that it cannot be dealt with in any shape or form. It is now many months since the Natives who are supposed to own in started to try and get the title to tbe land decided upon, so as to open it up for the benefit of both themselves and Europeans. The only solution of the difficulty that I can see is that the laud should be taken into the Native Land Court, aud dealt with in the usual way. The object has been to bring the land under the provisions of the late legislation affecting Maori lands —that is, a certain portion be set aside for a papakainga, another to bo cut up as farms for tbemselyes to work and cultivate, another for leasing purposes, and another to be sold to the Crown for Battlement by Europeans. The idea, as set out above, the Natives seem to appreciate and quite agree with. But the trouble is the jea lousy amongst different sections ol owners as to how each should partici | pate. ___