STATEMENT RELATIVE TO LAND PURCHASES, NORTH ISLAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4506, 30 August 1875, Page 6

STATEMENT RELATIVE TO LAND PURCHASES, NORTH ISLAND.

The following statement relative to land purchases in the North Island was made in the House of Representatives on August 10th by the Native Minister : I consider it due to the House that a statement should be made by me in reference to the expenditure of monies authorised under the Immigration and Public Works Acts, 1870 and 1873, for the purchase of native lands in the North Island. I think this has become necessary, as I am aware that much has been said during the recess calculated to lead to the bolief that sufficient care had not been taken to guard the public interests. I hope to be able to disabuse the minds of lion, members if they entertain such ideas, and to show that the Government have at great disadvantage endeavored faithfully to carry out the views of the House, and have succeeded as. well as could be reasonably expected. When it was decided by the General Assembly that a public estate should be acquired in the North Island for the purposes of colonisation, the difficulties which had to be encountered were of no ordinary character. From the year 1810 to 18G2 the task of acquiring land from the aborigines was not so difficult, the Crown having the exclusive right of purchase. The Constitution Act maintained the right of pre-emption ; but, through the action of the House, the Crown abrogated this provision of the Constitution, relinquished its right of pre-emption, and passed a law throwing open lands held by the natives to private purchasers. Capitalists were not slow to avail themselves of the wide field thus opened out to them of profitably investing their money, and from time to time valuable tracts of country were obtained by them. Able agents, many of them formerly officers of the Native department, were employed. They were to be found in every district buying up the very choicest portions of the country, and year by year, through their operations, the carrying out of any large colonial scheme of land purchase was rendered more and more difficult. In the year 1870 the Immigration and Public Works policy rendered it necessary that large tracts of country should be acquired for. settlement. Accordingly the General Assembly voted first a sum of £200,000, and then a further sum of £500,000, to acquire land from the. natives. In undertaking this task the Government found itself with scarcely any officers of experience to carry out the delicate work of land-purchase negotiations. Men of ability were in the' employ of the Government, but, with few exceptions, they were unacquainted with, this peculiar duty, and could not therefore cope successfully with the experienced agents in the employ of capitalists to be met with in all parts of the island. It must be remembered that lands which had passed through the Native Land Court wero open to all alike—there was no exception in favor of the Government. A slight advantage only was gained by the colony under the provisions of the Immigration and Public Works Act over, lands which had not been adjudicated upon, which gave the Government protection for two years. It was found expedient to make terms with the most active and successful of theso agents,

and offer them inducements to enter the Government service. Without their co-opera-* tion it was almost hopeless to carry out to _a successful issue the objects this House had in view when it placed at the Government's disposal such large sums of money. Even with the assistance of these gentlemen, I have only to refer honorable members to the reports of the land purchase officers and agents, laid on the table of the House,.to show that the difficulties which had to be encountered were of no ordinary kind, and yet the results are, I submit, on the whole very favorable to the country. It should also be remembered that the peaceful aspect of native affairs in the North Island has tended to advance the settlement of the country, and has increased the demand for land by capitalists from the South Island and the Australian colonies. In 1873, unimproved lands could be purchased in the Waikato for prices not exceeding ten shillings per acre; the same lands cannot now be purchased under from one to two pounds per acre. Such has been the competition for land, that the agents of private parties have gone into districts proclaimed under the Immigration and Public Works Act, and have purchased choice blocks at a higher rate than the Government were offering, with the full knowledge that they had no chance of obtaining a title during the currency of the proclamation, but trusting to make their claims good when it should lapse. I need not take up the time of • the House by enlarging on this subject, but I have said enough to convince hon. members that, in acquiring the estate which has been secured, we have had much to contend against from the competition of our own countrymen, to say nothing of the trouble and anxiety of dealing with a race so proverbially jealous and tenacious of their lands as the natives. GENERAL SUMMARY. From this statement it will be seen that the areas of land acquired by purchase or lease since 1872, the year the Government commenced the present land purchases under the Immigration and .Public Works Act, 1870, have been— Acres. In the province of Auck- Jby purchase 490,784 land .. .. Iby lease 391,601 In the province of Hawke's Bay, by purchase .. 240,537 In the province of Wellington, by purchase .. .. 429,702 In the province of Taranaki, by purchase .. .. .... .. 170,499 A total of 1,331,522 acres, purchased at a cost of, including £13,000 charged for expenses of department, commissions, &c, £164,248 10s. Id., or 2s. s|d. per acre ; and 391,601 acres leased, on which has been paid the sum of £2,987 7s. Id. The incomplete transactions represent— Acres. In the province of Auck- fby purchase 1,618,686 land t by lease 1,214,067 In the province of Hawke's Bay, by purchase 37,000 In the province of Wei- fby purchase 1,202,026 lington.. .. }by lease 307,835 In the province of Taranaki, by purchase 84,130 A total of 2,941,842 acres under purchase, and 1,522,502 acres under lease. In all 4,464,344 acres, on which has been paid, including £13,135 2s. 9d. for departmental services, the sum of £UB,S23 Is. "From these totals it will be seen that no less than 6,187,467 acres of land have been negotiated for since 1872, on which monies have been paid amounting to £286,029 os. 2d. The total amount charged against the sums voted by Parliament for land-purchase purposes to 30th June Jast was referred to by my honorable colleague, the Colonial Treasurer, in his Financial Statement, as £377,059 18s. Id. Some explanation may be necessary as to the difference between this sum and that of £286,029 os. '2d., before noticed by me as the total payments made for actual land-purchase purposes, a difference of £75,344 4s. 6d. This amount is made up from payments made to the £ s. d. _ . . . fUnder authority ot\ Province of sect i o ns 47 &48of I 1791 * 0 0 Auckland J the immigration V ° 2 Province of ) "nd Public Works f 3 ' ooo ° ° Hawkesßay Act _ 1872 .. ~) Transfer to Native Land Act Account under Appropriation Acts of 1872,1873,1874 24,292 8 5 Advance to New Zealand Settlements Act (Confiscated Bands) .. 20,500 0 0 Expenses of raising loan .. .. 9,534 1 1 In Suspense Ascount .. ..' .. 100 15 0 £75,344 4 6 This sum of £75,344 4s. 6d., as" against £286,029 os. 2d., actually paid for lands, certainly appears large, but it must be borne in mind that, with the exception of £20,500 advanced to the New Zealand Settlements Act, the whole has been charged in accordance with the votes of this House. The fact should also not be lost sight of, that a large proportion of the expenses incurred by the Native Land Court have been in the investigation of title to the land purchased under the provisions of the Immigration and Public Works Acts. The Government have steadily kept in view the twofold objects of providing land for the large influx of population, and of securing those districts to the colony through which public works and undertakings are being carried on. In the consideration of this question there is another point which should be mentioned-—the Government have endeavored to acquire land in large-blocks where possible. The advantage gained is obvious. But in doing so, of necessity lands of all descriptions werefc included. Much land fit for special settlement has been purchased. Lands supposed to be of average quality have, on closer inspection by the surveyors, turned out better than was anticipated. ■ "Reports of the surveyors have been laid on the table of the House. A large area of land has been secured in the Taupo country, which, as every one knows who has been through that district, is generally of inferior description, but even for that there has been considerable competition. '" There are some valuable blocks now under negotiation, which, in the course of a few months, will be in the hands of the Government. But I would ask hon. members, especially those of them who are not acquainted with the difficulties and the sometimes harassing work of negotiation with the natives, to restrain impatience. Lands are now being purchased in districts where a few years ago a European could not show his face. In proof of this, I would only point to the Taranaki and Upper Whanganui districts; and if the Government carry on the work as they may deem safe and advisable a large colonial estate will be obtained ; but if undue pressure is brought upon the land purchase agents to urge on these purchases, not only will our present good understanding with the native race be endangered, but the main object in view marred, by unwise and premature action. Negotiations of this nature can only be carried out with the intelligent assent of the natives, and this can only be obtained when they have realised the advantages to be gained from having European Bettlers in their neighborhood.