NATIVE LANDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 7, 3 July 1911, Page 5

NATIVE LANDS.

REVIEW BY THE HON. DR. XGATA., By Telegraph—Press Association. Gore, Last Night. Speaking at Gore on Saturday night, the Hon. Dr. Ngata introduced entirely new figures in regard to the administration of the Native Department,.gsonv' prising a'record of operations for the year ended March 31 last. The Native Land Court held 04 sit-' tings, at 4b' places, for which 22,243 cases were notified. Orders were made in 9812 cases; 4088 were dismissed and 8043 adjourned. Papatupu investigated ■lßo,u7fly 2 acres, partitions (833) 503,829 acres, succession orders 7487, other orders 1574. The Apellate Court, held 13 sittings, for which 471 cases were notified. The Court varied 72 and affirmed 42, and referred back seven decisions of the Native Land Court. Appeals to the number of 187 were dismissed or withdrawn, and ! 08 (chiefly applications under Section 50 of the Native Land Act. 1009) were adjourned. The area administered by the boards totalled 975,010 acres, of which' leases totalling 282,402 acres were issued in 422 cases.

The Native Land Purchase Commissioners offered, during tne year,' 002,074 acres; completed 75,437; referred to meetings of assembled owners and in course of purchase, 430,560; declined by board, 162; declined by assembled owners, 35,022; under consideration, 27,230; held over pending appeals, 61,702%; under proclamation, 171,058'/>; under survey, 603,383 acres.

Collected by the Native Court, £3308 Cs;. collected by the registrars, £391 1.5s 2d; search fees, £'27B 15s 2d; stamps, £I4C7; outstanding, £BB9 2s and £«834 18s lid; Maori Land Board's revenue from fees, £3389 18s Cd; licensed interpreters' fees, £92 ss; a sum of £10,397 2s sd, fees, was not charged to the Government departments, who nevertheless charge the Native Department for work done for it. If a charge were made it is estimated that the Government departments would pay a least £IOOO to the Native Land Purchase Board, instead, of £132, or £1132, which brought'the revenue tip to about £11,529, The vote for the Native Department last year was £22,257, of which £21,6(51 was expended, and it cost the taxpayers a little over £II,OOO to bring into'settlement 34-5,218 acres, and to advance titles to 090,508 acres to native land, chiefly in outlying districts, such as Hokianga. Whangarei, Bav of Islands, Bay of Plenty, East Cape," Taupo, KinoCountry and inland from Wansanui '° HOCKEY T,lr>gi,-fl The Egmont Club held a use f u i prftc '. tiee on the Racecourse on Saturday I here was a good muster of players, arid the practice took the form of a match between the A and B teams, picked from the club. The game was willingly contested throughout, victory eventually resting with the A's.

The dub sends a team to Tataraimaka next Saturday,, when a big effort will be made to turn the tables on the country players, who have been victorious in the last two games played between the clubs.