Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MAY 18, 1880. A NEW MODE OF DEALING WITH NATIVE LANDS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 76, 18 May 1880, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MAY 18, 1880. A NEW MODE OF DEALING WITH NATIVE LANDS.

■ ♦ We have received a copy of a pamphlet written by Mr W. L. Rees, the well-known lawyer, formerly a member of the House of Representatives, explaining the provisions of a private measure to be introduced into Parliament during the ensuing session, entitled, " The East Coast Settlement Bill." Mr Rees solicits public scrutiny, and hopes for an expression of public opinion upon the merits of a scheme which, if carried out, will (as he observes), " mark the poiut of a new departure in the question of dealing with native lands." The country to which Mr Rees intends to apply his scheme lies to the north of Napier, between the Wairoa River aud the East Cape, comprising part of the County of Wairoa, and nearly the whole of the County of Cook, and embracing about one million nine hundred and fifty thousand acres. Included in this is of course the Poverty Bay district. Mr Rees bestows a glowing panegyric on the quality of its soil and climate, and the means of access to this country, and from personal knoAvledge we fully endorse his remarks on those heads. Nevertheless, there are at present only four or five thousand Europeans residing upon it, and there is no prospect of it being opened for settlement, as matters now stand, for generations to come. The reason is the complicated condition of the landed tenure. Mr Rees estimates that there are about 1,950,000 acres in the area mentioned, of which 150,000 are owned by Europeans in fee simple, 500,000 in the hands of the Government, and the remaining 1,800,000 acres in the hands of the natives. Nearly the

whole of this vast area of one million three hundred thousand acres of laud has been passed through the Native Lands Court, but is still a barren and fruitless waste, owing to the difficulties in the way of settlement. The difficulties are of a kind known only too well in these districts. The lands are held by the natives in large blocks of from one thousand to sixty thousand acres, tho number of owners being always great (sometimes as many as a hundred names in a title to a single estate), and always including many married women and children. To quote from Mr Bees : "It is impossible thnt lands so held can be cut up for ordinary settlement or small holdings. Even the preliminary stop of surveying for sub-division would always be opposed by some of the native owners ; but if the lands were once " cut up " (which, however, is beyond possibility), then the expense and trouble of obtaining so many signatures from all parts of the country, and going through the long and expensive but necessary forms incidental to native deeds, would amount to more than .■small pieces of the land were actually worth." Besides these very grave difficulties in the way of settlement, extensive areas of the lauds referred to by Air Roes are inalienable, by reason of the provisions of " The Native Lands Act, 18G7." They cannot be sold, nor mortgaged, nor leased for more than 21 years, nor can they be subdivided until the expiration of any existing leat.o. " Between Grisborne and Tologa Bay, a distance of more than thirty miles, nearly all the lauds are in this position." That the above is a deplorable state of things will be recognised at once. Titles to land arc imperfect, vast areas capable of .sustaining a large population are lying waste, and in one of the most fertile districts of Xew Zealand all progress is stayed. This state of things Mr Rees proposes to remedy by " The East Coast Settlement Biil," which will enable all native owners of land in the district, including minors and married women, to sign for each block a deed of trust, vesting the property in trustees chosen by the owners. A committee of management would also be elected by the owners, and the committee and trustees would together have the power to cut up, lease, or sell the land. It is proposed to give the committee and trustees power to decide the share of each liapu, family, or individual in the property, whilst the shares of natives who object to the scheme could be set apart in the Native Lands Court, and dealt with under the present laws. Mr Rees thus summarises the Bill as it will affect the Maori owners and the Europeans : — As affecting the Maori owner?, tho trustees will haveFirstly, to select such lands in each block as may bo necessary aud convenient for the dwelling 1 places and cultivations of the different hunus and families interested in the particular property. Secondly, to make such reserves as may be deemed advisable for schools and charitable or other like purposes ; for roads, for townships, and for recreation and pleasure ; and Thirdly, to divide the net proceeds arisiag from each block in the fairest and justest manner possible, subject to the general charges arising from costs of schools, hostelries, building and repair of houses, fencing. &c. As aifecting Europeans, the objects to be accomplished are — 1 . To cut up the lands for sale or lease in suitable areas and positions. 2. To offer these lnnds fop sale or lease upon such terms as to classification, price, times of payment, amount of interest or rent, and otherwise, upon such conditions a3 may attract settlers by their liberal nature, and yet yield a reasonable revenue to the native proprietors. It is easy to perceive that the trustees will be able to offer the land on very easy and liberal terms. 3. To devoto a reasonable and proper portion of the returns from the lands to the prosecution of useful worl-s — i.e., hnrbours, roads, and bridges. This Bill provides for works of this kind to be constructed. 4. To choose suitable sites for special settlements for farmers and others from the colony and from the United Kingdom. In the proposed measure, power is asked to borrow meney upon the security of the lands, or special portions thereof, always excluding reserves, for the purposes following:— 1. To pay off mortgages and encumbrances now existing. 2. To pay all debts due by the Maori owners of these lands. 3. To construct necessary or useful public works. The trustees ore to be incorporated, and though possessing large powers are placed under efficient control ; all their transactions are to be patent and open to those concerned; and provision is nvide for the audit of their books and accounts. The scheme propounded by Mr Rees appears to be thoroughly feasible, and as a means of promoting settlement upon a tract of now unproductive country commends itself to us. In his pamphlet he states that already nearly the whole of the natives interested have consented to sign the necessary deeds. It may therefore be taken for granted that those directly interested in the scheme are willing to hand over their lands to trustees on the terms and conditions already referred to. Such being the case there is no reason why Parliament should refuse them the right of doing with their property as they desire, provided the native owners retain sufficient land to prevent them from becoming a burden on the State at some future time. The natives therefore say in effect: "We desire to reap some benefit from our land, which is now lying idle, but owing to the difficulties in the way we cannot do so as things are. We therefore wish to appoint v resenta-

tives in whom we have confidence, who will act for us, and who will be .able to sell, cut up, or lease oui' lands to Europeans We simply flak that three men to be appointed by us may have power to do for us what We find it almost impossible because of our number to do for" oUrsGlvest" Mr Rees' scheme commends itself to the Colony, because it is calculated to promote settlement. If carried into effect, it will open up over a million acres of land, of which a largo part is equal to anything in the Colony. Without some such scheme aa that referred to nearly the whole of that land will probably lie idle for generations, to tho loss of the country. What New Zealand needs is to have her population forced back upon the waste lands of the country, or those waste lauds rendered productive by the settlement of immigrant farmers upon them. Mr Bees' scheme, if properly carried out, Avill effect both those ends.