NATIVE LANDS AND NATIVE-LAND TENURE: INTERIM REPORT OF NATIVE LAND COMMISSION, ON NATIVE LANDS IN THE COROMANDEL COUNTY.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1908 Session I, G-01s

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1908. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE LANDS AND NATIVE-LAND TENURE: INTERIM REPORT OF NATIVE LAND COMMISSION, ON NATIVE LANDS IN THE COROMANDEL COUNTY.

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

Native Land Commission, Rotorua, Bth September, 1908. To His Excellency the Governor. May it please Your Excellency,— We have the honour to forward for your consideration an interim report upon the Native lands in the Coromandel County. We held a sitting of the Commission at Coromandel on the 4th August, 1908. A considerable number of Maoris from Kennedy's Bay, Manaia, and Ti Kouma attended, but the owners of blocks in Whangapoua, Whitianga, and Moehau were not represented. The area of land belonging to the Maoris in this county is approximately about 50,000 acres, and for the most part of inferior quality. The last census shows the number of Maoris in this county to be 695. Up to within a year or two ago the Maoris did very little farming. Those residing at Kennedy's Bay (known to the Maoris as Harataunga) are for the most part Ngatiporou, and are close relatives of the people of the same name in the Waiapu County. A number of the younger people have been residing among their relatives in the Waiapu County, and have been greatly impressed with the success of their sheep-farming. They have come back to their homes in Coromandel County with the determination to emulate their successful relatives in farming, and as a result they have since 1906 broken in, cleared, and partly grassed about 2,500 acres, and hope to have all their lands under grass about the end of 1909. The stock on the ground comprises sixty head of cattle and 650 sheep. They are aided by their Waiapu relatives, and they hope to become as successful sheep-farmers. We are of the opinion that it would be a great pity if anything was done to lessen their enthusiasm or damp their hopes. Farming operations have also been carried on at Ti Kouma and Manaia, and, so far as we could learn, they have been fairly successful. The land remaining to the Maoris is, as we have said, of inferior and poor quality, and the Maori owners are not, in our opinion, asking for too great an area when they wish for practically the whole of the remnants of their ancestral lands to be reserved for Maori occupation. Our recommendations are set out in the accompanying schedules. Several blocks at Whitianga, Whangapoua, and Moehau were not dealt with owing to the Maoris not being present, but we understand that most of the land is under timber licenses or leases, some of which are no doubt informal. We hope to be able to deal with these areas in a later report.

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Regarding the areas we have recommended for Maori occupation, we may add that the principle of incorporation will have to be applied to insure satisfactory working. At present the owners do not quite understand the incorporation system, but they will no doubt soon see the necessity for adopting it. They are at present working under amicable but not legal arrangements amongst themselves. We have the honour to be Your Excellency's humble and most obedient servants, ROBERT STOUT, A. T. NGATA, Commissioners. SCHEDULES.

1. Lands already under Lease or under Negotiation.

2. Lands recommended for Maori Occupation under Part II of "The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907."

Name of Block. Owners. Area. Re oi arte. foehau 1h B „ lG 1 'ungapunga No. 1b 5 8 1 A. B. p. 388 1 0 169 0 24 500 0 0 Total .. 1,057 1 24

Name of Block. j | Owners. Area. Remarks. Akeake Haukawakawa 7 3 A. 50 35 K. P. 0 0 0 0 Harataunga No. 2 West 1b „ 2b „ „ 3b „ 4b „ >i 5b ,9 6 » ft „ East 1a ,. IB » » 2a » 2b „ 2c 3 Kouma, Ti, No. 3.. Mata, Te, North .. „ „ South .. Mataparu 134 3 17 9 9 9 3 24 4 2 5 21 12 8 3 1 14 27 4 546 60 210 735 331 631 1,014 691 8 316 316 1,737 947 946 59 925 80 175 52 0 0 0 0 2 27 0 0 0 32 3 30 0 0 3 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 1 36 1 36 0 0 1 27 0 0 0 0 0 0 To be leased to Peneamene te Rangitu, of Ti Kouma. Improved ; 200 sheep. Improved. >? Partly improved. Partly improved ; 200 sheep. 50 „ Partly improved. ,? r Partly improved ; 200 sheep, 40 head ) of cattle. Farm ; 200 sheep, also some cattle. Manaia 1a „ 1b „ 2a „ 2b Pungapunga 2a .. 2b .. Papaaroha No. 1 .. Pouakarahi Pumoko No. 2 Taurarahi Tihiouou Taungatara Unuhau Waitotara 1 16 1 16 1 1 49 5 10 33 34 3 1 2 176 1,232 435 3,046 366 310 252 20 60 1,347 499 6 172 224 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 16 0 35 2 0 To be leased to Peneamene te Rangitu, of Ti Kouma. Kaingas. Kaingas. Portion not under lease to be reserved. Total .. 18,015 1 12

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3. Lands for General Settlement.

Approximate Ooit of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,500 copies), £1 16b. 6d.

By Authority : John Mackat, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9oB. Price 3d.]

Name of Blook. Owners. Area. Remarks, A. J 'or Leasing. 4 A. R. P. 220 0 0 laupapa B. For Sale. a* X Kouma No. 4 .. 'ihikounui loehau 2c 3 (part) 2 11 A. E. P. 262 0 0 46 0 0 20 0 0 Approximate. The undivided interest of Parata te Mapu. Total .. 328 0 0