LANDLESS NATIVES IN SOUTH ISLAND (REPORT RELATIVE TO SETTING APART LAND FOR).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1898 Session I, G-01

GK—l

1898. NEW ZEALAND.

LANDLESS NATIVES IN SOUTH ISLAND (REPORT RELATIVE TO SETTING APART LAND FOR).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Sib, — Department of Lands and Survey, Well ngton, 30th June, 1898. We have the honour to submit a further interim report on the work carried on since the date of our last report —14th June, 1897—in connection with the allotting of lands to the landless Natives of the South Island. During the year surveys have been in progress in the district lying to the west of the Waiau River, Southland, with a view of supplying data on which to base a scheme of sections for some of the large number of people whom it was found necessary to allocate lands to in that part. It was not, however, until the early part of June that a map could be furnished. The report of the surveyor on this large block of 60,110 acres, derived from a more intimate knowledge of the country than we had hitherto possessed, showed that the western part of it, containing about 30,000 acres, was quite unsuitable for settlement purposes, being both mountainous and barren. This being so, the eastern part of the block alone could be utilised for the purpose, and here 1,264 individuals have had farms allocated to them, in sizes varying from 80 to 460 acres, there being altogether 141 farms, covering an area of 29,908 acres. It will be seen from the above that out of the 2,332 persons who, at the date of our last report, had not had land allocated to them there still remain 1,068 persons, requiring over 36,000 acres, for whom land must be found elsewhere, besides an uncertain number of landless persons in the Kaikoura district. The following is the position of the allocations to date : — Persons. Acres. Tautuku ... ... ... ... ... 370 12,371 Stewart Island ... ... ... ... 239 8,725 Marlborough ... ... ... ... 375 12,914 Westland ... ... ... ... 129 3,660 Heaphy Eiver ... ... ... ... 38 1,600 Waiau ... ... ... ... 1,264 29,908 Totals ... ... ... ... 2,415 69,178 With respect to the surveys of the blocks during the past year, the following have been completed, namely : Westland, Heaphy River, and Waiau partly so. In the last - named block the sections will now be marked out on the ground so that the people may occupy them. So soon as it is decided where the remainder of the people are to obtain their lands, the surveys should also be put in hand. We have, &c, A. Mackay, Hon. the Minister of Lands, Wellington. S. Pbecy Smith. Approicimate Coat of Paper.— Preparation, not given ; printing (1,825 copies), 18s.

By Authority: John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—lS9B, Price 3d.]