WEST COAST RESERVES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 94, 28 April 1913, Page 7

WEST COAST RESERVES.

THE COMMISSION’S REPORT. Wellington, April 25. The following is the portion of the Public Trust Commissioner’s report dealing with the West Coast native reserves generally:— The commissioners report that the trusts of the West Coast Settlement .Reserves and other reserves are carefully and satisfactorily performed. They consider, however, that the Publip Trustee should not have to deal with the question of whether a native owner is to be relegated to the, more position of an- idle rent-receiving landlord- or is to he‘encouraged and helped to become a successful cultivator and a useful member of the community, or whether any, and what, effort should be made to settle the

still unleased portions of tho various reserves. They should be in touch with the Native Lands Departments, so that a policy consistent with the operations of these departments regards the natives generally should bo maintained. In connection with reserves and other West Coast settlement, there is a special board constituted under the Native Reserves Act, consisting of the Public Trustee and other members of the Public Trust Board, and two natives appointed by, the Governor. This Board, they say, is a mere farce. It meets infrequently. Its last meeting was over a year ago. As the Native Minister lias never attended and the Under-Secre-tary of Lan,ds is not a member of the Board, it is plain that the Public Trustee is altogether out of touch with the departments that are most interested in his administration. They think that the foregoing considerations (which are set out at considerable length) point to the necessity for some change in the administration of the native reserves. The Public Trustee and those members of the office staff who gave evidence held the view that the office should bo relieved of native work. The commissioners also express the opinion that it would be in the interests of tho natives if, by means cf revenue from these reserves, thenown property, they could ho assisted to beter themselves as agriculturalists and otherwise. To this end they arc of opinion that the whole of the native reserves and their administration sjiould be vested in an independent Imdy. They, therefore, suggest that a Native Reserves Trustee should be created, with a board consisting of himself, the Under-Secretary of Native Affairs (or some other expert in native affairs), the Under-Secretary of Lands, and two other members appointed by the Governor, of whom one should lie a native and the other a European who has the experience in agricultural matters. The Native Trustee, acting under the Board, should, they suggest, be endowed vvit.i the main functions of tho Maori Lan ,1 Board, except that he would not he .authorised to sell, in cases where the Public Trustee is not now authorised to do so. All existing trusts should be maintained, so that tho change shall not alter the rights of tho bon offciaries.