BACKWARD SURVEYS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9619, 12 October 1909, Page 3

BACKWARD SURVEYS.

It is stated by people who have studied the native land probl:in that one of the causes which hamper more rapid settlement tf Maori lands is the backward state of the surveys. In his report to Parliament for tiie year ended March 31st, 1909, the Surveyor-General, referring to settlement surveys, points out that the surveys of 'unstirveyed sclec* tiotis" are greatly in arrear, particularly in the Nelson district, where there are 68,55 acres of them in the hands of the surveyor?, and a further 66,335 of similar selections awaiting survey, in all 133,900 acies of which , however, the survey of about 20,000 has lately baen com- ; pie ted in the field, but not yet mapped. It is evident that the field staff in this particular district needs strengthening, and it is suggested that it would also be advisable to give private surveyors contracts, so as to speedily reduce the accumulation of arrears, and place the selec-

tors in possession. Of Native Land Court surveys completed during the year, their gross total for the four land districts in (he North Island where the surveys were executed was 158,895 acres, of which the Auckland district contributed two-thirds. The survey of native land now in progress for Land Court orders, Maori Land Boards, and Native Land Commissions amounts to 210,000 acres, including 24,900 acres for landless na ■ tives in the Southland district.