NATIVE LANDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 206, 20 January 1913, Page 6

NATIVE LANDS.

VIEWS OF THE MINISTER. A typical deputation was heard at Waimana on Saturday last when the requests of the natives had direct reference to the great Urewera country, the Maoris expressing eagerness to be able to subdivide the land, and also to be given financial help to farm their own \ holdings (says the New Zealand Herald). They also asked Mr. Herries. among other matters, if steps could be takon to discover whether, as was reputed, the Urewera country contained minerals, including coal, gold and oil, in paying quantities. The speakers impressed it upon the Minister that until the land was subdivided they could do little towards working their holdings. : "But if the partition takes place." j declared one speaker, "and any native ( is indolent and fails to farm his land ! properly, then let the penalties of the j law be brought on his head." "Two years ago," said another speaker, j "a partition of two blocks at Waimana j was made by the Native Land Court," ' and he asked that surveyors should be | put on to measure up the land according } to the subdivision. "When that was done." he said, "the Maoris would have no compunction in paying the rates due upon these lands."

The members of this deputation were a little more enthusiastic, and a little more generous in their expressions than most of the others, but their sentiments norp in effect the same.

The whole root of the native land business. Mr. Herries continued, was the title, and what he proposed to do when hj" had been over the North Island and had had the opinions of men experienced in the native land question, would be to try to simplify the procedure and lessen the expense" of getting the native lands fixed up. Succession orders and partition orders must be brought up to date, and he intended that if the natives themselves would not apply for succession orders the native land judges should adjudicate .ind issuo the orders. When this was done and the surveys made enabling the land to be individualised or referred to the ownership of hapus they would have solved the crux of the native land question. The legislation he intended to introduce next session would be directed to that end. With reference to the purchase of land in the Urewera country the titles were not yet defined. The Government could not enter the country until it knew from whom it was going to purchase. But as soon as the court had finished dealing with the matter and the owners of the different blocks were known he would be quite prepared to buy the land of any native who wished to sell subject to the necessary loans having been raised. He would be prepared to call a meeting of the assembled owners and if a suitable price were agreed upon the land would be purchased and opened for settlement. The policy of the Government was to open up the native lands for. settlement to the benefit of both races, and he was entirely opposed to anv confiscation in Hie disposal of native lands. What he aimed at was to place the Maori and pakclia on the same footing, and to facilitate the exchange of the native lands for the pakehit cash.