NATIVE LANDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 283, 20 February 1928, Page 11

NATIVE LANDS

FREEHOLD ON DEFERRED PAYMENT URGED MINISTER’S FAVOURABLE (From Our Own Correspondent) TE KUITI, Saturday. “Native leases will spell disaster unless the country gets on a better footing with the Maori,” said the Hon. O. J. Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, in reply to a deputation which waited on him, and the Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister of Lands, to urge the conversion of

native leases to freehold. Mr. J. N. Boddie, on behalf of the white set. tilers, said that the belief that the leasehold tenure of native lands was in the interest of Maori and settler had not been sustained. The remedy, he said, lay in enabling the present holders of native leases to convert to a freehold tenure on the deferred payment system, spread over a period of 30 years. It may be said that this system is unjust to the natives, but that i 3 not so. Already the natives had parted with their lands, mostly for a term of 42 years, and all they could get out of the land during that period was their rent, less land tax.

Mr. McLeod was favourable to Mr. Boddie’s suggestion, and was against Slate purchase. The State Department had an unpleasant experience with individuals who tried to evade liability where a contract was drawn up with the Crown. Whenever difficulty arose in such a contract matters immediately became political, and in the end the general taxpayers suffered.

“I am certain,” Mr. Hawken said, “that the farmers have given the landlord too much for the land all over New Zealand.” Speaking of the native land question, the Minister said it had been the popular belief that the European had the best deal in the matter; but lately it had been discovered that the native was the one who had profited, although the native was not aware of the fact. The Cabinet’s decision to set up a commission was the finest thing that had happened.

“The land,” he observed, “is becoming seriously deteriorated. It means the loss of thousands of acres, and the State is losing the products which should come from this soil. I believe that if the European tenants and the Maori landlord got together and tackled the problem the native owner would know that he was the best off. I am in f avour of Mr. Boddie’s suggested policy that the Maori should accept the proposition in lieu of rent.”