RUA'S LAND DEAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 169, 26 October 1910, Page 7

RUA'S LAND DEAL

HON. A. NO ATA DENIES REPORT. The Dominion's Auckland correspondent telegraphed on Monday that during the last week Auckland, unknown to itself, was entertaining a remarkable, quartette, from the Urewera—Rua's son and wife, and Rua's secretary and wife. Their demeanour was marked by aboriginal shyness; and a pronounced dislike of being "looked at." They kept very much in the background, and quietly left the city on Saturday without calling on the Mayor or leaving their cards at Government House; but their visit must have resulted in substantial additions to the takings of some Auckland business house.

The buying commissions were from Rua senior, the Urewera. prophet who, according to reports in the district, has received for his recent land sale a fat greater sum of money than is generally believed. It is even said that the Government, which purchased about 90,000 to 100.000 acres, paid an average of something like 12s (id an acre, and that no less than £OO,OOO was paid out by the Government agent in a tent at Taneatau.

Rua has given orders for the building of about a dozen houses at his settlement at Kutarere, on the Waimana river, and orders for doors, windows, roofing iron, and various classes of timber have eome to Auckland, besides numerous other items from a needle to an anchor. In fact. Rua's claims on the freight space of the Bay of Plenty steamer are said to have caused a mild congestion. Drapery, dress materials, silks, underclothing, sewing machines, bicycles (including some ladies' machines), and farm implements are only some of the goods that have been purchased on Rua's behalf in Auckland during the last week. Here is a sample ot Rua's buying orders as per telegram:— "One perambulator, one cradle, two ploughs, machine needles, and a barrel of Stockholm tar." Rua's professed principle, in selling a part of his followers' lands, was to raise capital to farm and improve the rest of their land. It is known that be has bought heavily in stock, having lately purchased at least 200 head of cattle, as well as carts, horses, implements, etc. He is said to contemplate the erection of a big store in the Kutarere settlement, whereat Maori needs will be supplied, and the community will be directed on something like Socialistic lines. No Maori may sell the land which Rua allots him, except to another Maori.

Rumour in the district runs into big figures as to the. area and value of the lands owned by Rua and his followers.; Tt is even said that he has ten other' blocks for sale, similar to that lately] purchased by the. Government. The amount of Rua's own share of the pro-! ceeds is not stated, but it is said that! he deducts 20 per cent, from every other Maori's share for the benefit of j the central treasury. Three weeks ago, 1 after the paying out. Maoris were con-j fronting the local stores with three-j figure cheques. One man bought ai one and eightpenny article, and present- ] ed in payment a cheque for £2lO. The bank branches also had a fairly sultry! time. One of the sprisrhtliest of the] ladies carries about with her, beneath i her shawl, a larse cash-box, which. as ; mi?ht be expected, plays a pmminenvl part in the proceedings. When Rua and | his cavalcade and cash-box come to town the town=hip thus honored.knows that business is going to happen, and it does. [lnterviewed on the subject, the Hon. A. Ngata said that there was no truth in the statement that such large purchases of Urewera lands had been made by the Government. During the past month or two the total area of Urewera. lands purchased bv the Government was from 15,000 to 18.000 acres, and the total purchase money would amount to about £21,C00. Mr. Ngata went on to say that the balance of Urewera. lands at present under offer was about 30,000 acres. As y matter of fact, no Urewera lands had been bought at all during the past two or three weeks, for the reason that the land purchase officer had been in Wellington.]