THE Thames Advertiser TUESDAY, JULY 7, 1874.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1858, 7 July 1874, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser TUESDAY, JULY 7, 1874.

A good deal of information relative to the position of native land in this dig-, trict is contained in;a paper laid, before, the Assembly last session. The docu-j ments commence by a report from Mr Mackay, dated, in January, 1872, referring to conversation which took place' with the Minister for Public Works relative-to ifche'piirchasetof native%nds' in the Thames.-/, With respect to the goldfield blocks, we need say riothing at present.; ;Whafc ; weare chiefly interested in are the lands fit for settlement in the Upper Thames;district, and, the district adjoining the Waikato. The probable area of the Ohinemuri block is 100,000 acres," and it is stated that of this one-third is fit for settlement, 1 irrespective of the requirements for natiVe reserves/ -The Te ; Aroha J> block is estimated to be of about the same extent as Ohinemuri, but to have a larger area fit for- settlement, The Wairere block, extending from the Te Aroha block to the Tauranga block, has about 35,000 acres, about a third of which is fit for settlement'irrespective of the requirements for native reserves. /Of the extent of i the Matamata andPatefcere blocks no estimate is given,; but it' iiiay be safely estimated that they contain between them 60,000 aoi'es available jfo'r ; 'settlement; This would give,.in the, district of country which blbbks"'extend over, 155,000 acres available for settlement. Upon no portion of the North Island would settlement so rapidly extend as over these if they were opened for that purpose.; u On one side is Tail;, ranga, rising in importance, and with a; fair harbour; on another, the Waikatodistrict, which will soon be in direct communication with Auckland; while easy access is given to the sea, and to this large mining community by the river' Tham'eW•• At 'firsfc'the 'Govern;, ment seem to have seen the vital importance of acquiring-these lauds, and! to have determined to set about the' work t earnestly, but their operations have; from •some: cause,obeeli]. strubk with paralysis. Nothing has been done for some .eighteen .monbhsjiand apparently it is not intended to do anything. -In reply to the memorandum furnished by Mr Mackay as to , the different blocks of land, Mr Ormorid, then Miriistefijof .'PublieoWiorks;replies t|>i the effect that he is most concerned forthe early purchase of such blocks as are fit for settlement. It March, 1872,' the Government inquire of Mr Mackay how he is getting on with his purchases,-:, and Mr Mackay replies, showing the advances,he has midl and,asking that further sums should be made available.. In Jjine, 1872, Mr McLean, Native Minister, .writes the.following memor- ■ andum to Mr H. T. Kempj y P ,u, are, aware that, in the Thames and,on the PiakV there have been! standing oUr'.unkW tied for several years the payments upon certain blocks of land, for which advances- were made from time to time to the Natives! 1 The' Government, as well'as the Natives, are anxious; tbat these outstanding claims should be met: and fettled on .the unequitable,terms, and as. I fmdfi'om Mr' jPudkey, the : Native ; -agenfc at"; the Thames, , who has been directed to enquire into the details connected with the several bkcks alluded .to, that they are now for the mpstpart in a fit state to be dealt .with, I have ' the Honour to' request' 'that yoTwill, without ; delay, place yourself in communication with 5 Mr Puckey, and endeavour, as soon a 8 possible, with the assistance of the Native Chiefs ajid' other- claimants,- finally to dispose.of this question. Funds for tlie extinguishment o£. the Native title to these blocks will bj available ks soon as you shall report that these claims have .- ' beeh'adjuSted, and the lime and place appointed for the payment being made. j This would seem to show an anxiety on the part .'of -the Government to ha,ve : these out-standing subjects settled, and , makes their lethargy since, the more incomprehensible." In reply, Mr Kemp, furnishes a schedule showing .that' £1-000, is required, to,complete.the purchase of certain blocks at Waitoa am}, Piako. In Mr Puckey's report relative to. the...payments on.these lands,jhe speaks of one of the advances as having, been made to a man who had no claim whatever, a circumstance which we believe has occurred frequently in consequent bf'>theloose'.way<'in> which these* advances have been made. The schedule of lands purchased on the Piako,'and Waitoa .rivers shows 33,362 acres, of all which the purchases were com'' pleted by Mr Puckey -in 1872.'■ - Why thesei-lands ! at . all have not been handed over to the Provincial to., ? be .opeiied for settlement, we cannot imagine. ,We have next a...paper by Mr Mackay showing the blocks the purchase of which has been completed; blocks jfoi' which'negotiation's are'concluded, ;btit deeds not executed; blocks under negotiation, but price not finally arranged.. The extent of the blocks- the purchase of which has been completed is 89,215 acres, the greater part of which is'in the goldfield, and not fit for settlement. The block's for wKich 'negotiations?are concluded, but deeds not executed, comprise 183,399 acres, chiefly of land unfit : for settlements Theblocks under negotiation .and on which payments havo beea comprise acres, a great deal of which is land jwolH suited .for,, Besides j the blocks 'mentioned upon vrhich paiymtato. have .been made, iihere is : in; thesofdjstricts a. large extent of land the 'purchase of. which might not only by! this time have been under negotiation'but have been completed. What the people of the Tlwmes wish to know i?, why a jus iVv n put t>vall t ho work laud jut chusiug m-'Uiii: dCti.c,■;

why none of the land which has been purchased has not been made available for settlement 1

The native land purchases in the ftorth Island are likely to give the Ministry some uneasiness during the present session. Mr Gillies has already given notice of motion calling for a return of tba names of all people employed by the Government to purchase land, their remuneration, position, and the quantities purchased, together with the cost per acre, and by; whom negotiated. This no doubt will be valuable information, but we trust that Mr Gillies will go still further in the . matter, and ask for a select committee to inquire into the whole question, and go to the bottom of these; land scandals. Referring tathis .question the Heral d' of Saturday make 3 the following declaration ■

Certain agents'hare been appointed by the Native Minister to purchase land' from the natives : in behalf of the Co'onial Government, and those agents,' when they happen to fall in with a choice section, have', either, so it is authoritatively staged, purchased for themselres, . or have §one in with some other person on joint ~ account, or have bought injsqrne other name than their own upon an "understanding." Mr Gillies' notice of motioni:So early in the session'is by no meaiis an untimely one. .'.The Native Lands Department and its management $ cannot be too soon or too closely scrutinised. It ■has bean the.cause of;much heart-burning, and no little official scandil, for many months past. We know of no one more capable;.of;sifting',tte inquiry, to.'the bottom, than Mr.Gillies, ffhohaV tabled the motion, and we trust that he will not shrink from the responsibility he. has taken, upon himself. • -• !