NATIVE LANDS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 531, 15 May 1933, Page 4

NATIVE LANDS

DEVELOPMENT CHAIRMAN OF UNEMPLnvJM ! ' BOARD APPROVES METHODS, " ' # - ! V"; - p *:■ I |j.| SURPRISED AT PROGEE^H Mr. J. S. Jessep, deputy of the Unemployrnent Board also a member of the Uewlyc^^B uted Native Land D evelopment^H intervievved after a day the Native Minister (HonSir^^H Ngata) in viewing the work plished Under various native ment schemes in th'e distriet snnV^I cpmplimentary terms of the which has • heen acconiplished. "I- was shown large ' tr'ack^l country," said Mr. Jessep, inueh inore than twelve months were wastes of stunted manuka and. fern, but to-day present picttjfl que landscapes of rich pastura^B fat wethers and bulloeks about th'e cottages of nexvly-s^^B Maori farmers. This transforn^H has heen effected only a fe^^H from Rotorua with almost celerity and at lastonisbingly hy groups of Maoris from va;9 ' parts of the country." iH Mr. Jessep who has had per.^1 experience of hreaking in large ar of land said that he knew somel of Costs in connection' with that | and th'at lanyone with simffltf'e^ lence would share his surprise ea ing informed that the Maoris, s; ing under Contract conditions ; hrought some areas from sm\

pastUre at a' coSt of £2 an acre. Special interest in these actni was expressed hy Mr. Jessep wk gards them :as igiving point t« statement which he puhlished a months ago as deputy-chairmanof Unemployrnent Board reviewing economic posdtion of the Maori r a large number of whorn have soa telief ' under the unemployment k schemes. In th'e statement referrg Mr. Jessep pointed out that at i time the Unemployment Board granting relief at the rate of fi 000 a year to Maoris, and urgedt this money woUld be much more j fully directed toward settling nai as individual settlers on the li owned by them, but not under ci vation. Closer lassociation beta the relief of natives from unemp ment funds and definitely deve mental work is strongly favoured Mr. Jessep and this should' be fai ia,ted hy his joint memhershippf Unemployment Board and tbe Na Development Board. From Rotorua, Mr. Jessep is ceeding into the Urewera countr investigate reports of distress as natives in two' settlements thereai necessary to arrange Suitabie t to give them relief.