NATIVE LANDS COMMISSION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81917, 5 February 1907, Page 3

NATIVE LANDS COMMISSION

PllO( :J:EI)L\G« Ol'JiX lii). 7,000,000 AUiES TO UK DEALT with. MOSTLY J'lT i'uit CULXIV-moX. The Xativo Lamls Commission, wently appointed by liu; Covernmenl for the purpose Of preparing an exhaustive 10 port upon matters in connection with the native lauds of tile colony, opened its in tile ClirisUiurch tin preme Court oji Thursday afternoon, under the presidency of the Chief Jus tier Kir lio> i\ Stout. The Hon. Or i'mdlav, the Attorney (,'eueral, represented tile (iavenimoiU, and .Mr (J. i'. Skerrett appeared on behalf of tlie native interests. The commission order ii<r the inquiry was first read. The matters for inquiry were: What ureas of native lands were not occupied or prolitably occupied, liv v.hom they were owned, to what pnipose they could licst lie put, wnat a leas should lie set apart for individual occupation by Maoris or as communal lands for the purposes of the unlive ran', or I'm settlement by while pcopie » His Honor said that his colleague had been unable to reach Christclnireli. yet 111' considered it better to meet without liini. however, in order to lei it be seen wlrit I lie ioets of the Com mission were, 'flic work of the Commission would be onerous. There were ■no less than 7.."><)().(11KJ acres of land--I ill In'lniiiiiii;; to the native-,, and 3,000.000 acre. Were totally nnprodue the. Tne |>vi>l .if lien 'in- Willi tillinline alee -il' uhirli a [iropoi li.iu was valuable. bad occupied public attenuoii. J'acili;ies were liiveu for Ibc fullest inquiry as far as maps and slatistics were concerned, lie hail made a request for ;he attendance of a barrister to represent ilie Maoris whenever nec-'-sary, an 1 the Government had acceded io the request. Such nil ollicer was n-eulariy employed m Hie Courts of !■'ranee.

The lion, 'ir 1 iiallay, Attorncy(leneral. <juL--1 figures showing tile disu'ihuiioii of tin- native lands in the colony. .Most ol the !)."iOO square miles was lit for cultivation, but it had been iii'ideeled ever since tli,; colony was inhabited by the white people, indicia in;,' an appallin" ccono mic loss. With the greatest profit to the colony and to the natives at larj,'e, a proportion of tiie land could be set tied by Europeans, it was recofrnised by lite Government that a long and arduous ta-U iay before the Comniis--ioll. and tin' (Jownmiont would vender all tin- assistance possible. Mr Sh'iTott had been appointed l»y ti'c (ioverninont as aciive legal advisor to tin; Mauris, and .Mr Vraacr as hi.s assistant. If il \va-> neeessary for anyone to represent Ihe Crown he liimsoif would do so. Ik- hoped that the Com mission would solve a groat and perplexing problem, and earn tin; blowings and gratitude of both raees. Mr iSkerrelt -.said it \va«: to exaggerate llie iu'.porUiner a hclionu* for the better utilisation of the

uniprolitable native lie peared u< tlx' 1 representative nt tlie native owners. id adeijua lciv pro tect their ami interests, and the convet disposition of their property, lie gathered that tin- ha-iis of the reference was that regard was lirst t<> In- had for the riplus and re(|imvinenU of native owners, and tiial after that the lands not required "were io lie made lit for settlement. lie said thai the weighed opinions of native owner-, loyal suhjeeU of the Kin™, should not | only 1)0 <jiven every consideration, bill all possible weight, subjeet 'ln the conditions necessary to secure the ownership of lands against fraud and carelessness.

i His Honor said ho was very pleased , that Mr fSkevrett had boon i ppointod to till! position of tlie native' rejirc [ Sfiitiitivi 1 . Auollht liicotiiifi Ol tui' : Commission is to bo bold to--iliiy Tuc J«y- _