THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1906. NATIVE LANDS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8312, 15 December 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1906. NATIVE LANDS.

It is fairly apparent that the present Government intend to make a decided effort to deal satisfactorily with that most complicated question, viz., the settlement of native lands. It is not a credit, either to the Administration or to the Maori race that the present state of affairs should be in existence. There are, according to the Native Commissioners, 4,230,000 acres Qt for settlement, and this fact alone strongly emphasises how enormously beneficial it would be to the entire oountrj were the Government to deal vigorously with the whole question. What will be the end of the Maori is a problem, and one that the history of the future will reveal, but what is going to be done in regard to the settlement and proper cultivation of native lands should not be problematical in the eyes of a progressive, enlightened, and capable Govern meat. The present Administration claim all the aforementioned virtues, and whatever their faults may or may not be, there is no doubt that there is ample ability in the Cabinet to deal with the question, and, as we have said, there is some reason to believe that the Ward Government are going to grapple with it. Speaking at Napier, the other night, the Premier said that since (the passing of the Native JDands Aot L 250,G00

acres had been acquired, and 200,000 had oome into the posseßßinn of tho colony. This was a email quantity, compared with tbe total available, but there would be oan siderable diflßoaity unless a farther departure were taken by the Government, If the principle of limitation of large areas applied to large holders of lands who were Europeans, it applied equally to all large laud holders whether native or * European. .'lhe ! Government ought to deal on the principle that there should be no locking up of large areas, though in all cases this [should be, done with perfect justice to the native. It ought to be ascertained what lands were available, and the natives should be safeguarded by having lands sot aside properly for them, and after full provision had been mane for the natives themselves they should have their right to sell in limited areas. It should not be lost sight of that few of the natives were capable of managing tbe lands for themselves. He considered the Government ought to consider the propriety of appointing a commission of meu of the highest standing in the colony and that the commission should be one that tbe natives had confidence in. Tbe Native Minister should be one of that commission, and the commission should be authorised not merely to enquire and examine as to the lands available, but also whether tbe present system is the best that could be devised, and, if not, whether ifc should be adhered to or whether a system whioh he proposed should be adopted. Ibis was:—-(l) They should ascertain the owners of each block. (2) Asoertain the areas in toto, areas in homes, and the proportion cult'vated by the natives, (3) After making full provision for the natives, whnt surplus is available for settlement. (4.) Recommend how the surplus should be settled and what, may be open for that purchase. (5) in case of timber lands or lands not easily accessible by roads or railway on what system settlement would be best. The return should be ready bj June next. Then the land would be aluusr. immediately available, and the proposals placed with the Public Trustee, who would see that provision was made for roading, Funds would be placed to the credit of the individual native, and the, Publio Trustee would pay interest on this to him for all time. Under this proposal the colony would oeane to be the only purchaser of native lands unless by purchase in the or linary way audoi the settlement for native lands, costs to be, charged to the land, whioh would amount to about threepence per acre. These propoanh, if carried into effect, would ensure tbe natives a muuh larger income than they hod at present, and they were made with a view to conserve the interests of the natives and to settle the laud of the colony. Under them every native would be able to get full value for his land, and would not be compelled to sell to large companies aa was the case at present when land was frequently sold below its value. The Government wanted to be able to take such lands as were sui*abie for closer settlement. The quantity available for disposal in excess of whet was legitimately required for tne natives themselves would mean a great increase to seUloaieut ia New Zealand.