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

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

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1908. NEW ZEALAND.

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

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

Native Land Commission, Dargaville, 23rd March, 1908. May it please Your Excellency,— We have the honour to transmit a further interim report on Native lands in the County of Whakatane. Evidence was taken at Rotorua, Whakatane, and Ruatoki. This report covers 158,345 acres, and practically disposes of the larger blocks in thefWhakatane County outside the Urewera Native Reserve. The lands belong to the Ngatirangitihi Tribe, of Matata ; the Ngatiawa living at Whakatane, Te Teko, and Te Awaateatua ; the Ngatimanawa and Patuheuheu living near Galatea ; and certain sections of the Tuhoe (Urewera), the Ngatiawa being the principal owners. The Whakatane lands were confiscated, the confiscation-line being coterminous with the southern boundaries of the Parishes of Matata, Rangitaiki, and Waimana. The lands now owned by the Maoris in the Parishes of Matata, Rangitaiki, and Waimana were granted to them out of confiscated lands under " The Whakatane Grants Validation Act, 1878." Until 1893 the titles were in a position similar to those of lands held under " The Native Land Act, 1867," the original grants having been issued to trustees who were for all purposes absolute owners. In 1893 provision was made (section 2 of " The Native Trusts and Claims Definition and Registration Act, 1893 ") by which the cestuis gui trustent could take advantage of " The Native Equitable Owners Act, 1886," and become certificated owners of the returned lands. The investigation of titles to these lands has been proceeding off and on since 1893, and at the end of last year most of the larger blocks had been subdivided into family holdings. The Papatupu Blocks —namely, the blocks outside the confiscated area, over which the Native custom obtained, and determined ownership—consist of Matahina, Tuararangaia, Putauaki, parts of the Pokohu, and Waiohau. The value of Pokohu D, area 5,510 acres, is only £413 ; of Pokohu C and E, area 14,876 acres, only £115. Tuararangaia is valued at less than ss. an acre, and Waiohau at 10s. an acre. The Matahina Block, of about 40,000 acres, is valued for pastoral purposes at £3,275. But there is valuable milling-timber on it estimated at 306,000,000 ft., the royalty for which at current prices should produce at least £75,000. For the rest, the land is suitable only for pastoral runs, to be held in large areas. The Natives are desirous that these large blocks may be incorporated under section 28 of " The Maori Land Claims Adjustment and Laws Amendment Act, 1907," with power to dispose of the lands and timber by public auction, after making reserves for papakaingas and farms. We have put in the schedule a list of the blocks

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we recommend to be dealt with in this manner. We are of opinion that more than one-half of the total area will be available for general settlement. Within the confiscated area many parcels have been recently leased, particulars of which are set out in the schedules. In many cases portions of blocks have been leased, the balances being required for the use of the owners. We have recommended reservation of the latter, as soon as the portions leased are defined. The total area recommended for Maori occupation is 33,454 acres, or at the rate of about 35 acres per head of the Maori population of the portion of the Whakatane County affected by the report. The Maoris of the district have for years cultivated maize on their lands round the settlements, and lately have turned their attention to dairy-farming. We do not think the reservation too liberal, even if the Committees of the blocks proposed to be incorporated decided to reserve one-half of those lands. The area of these would represent a very small additional value, if the assessment made by the Valuation Department is adopted as a basis for calculation. The timber on Matahina Block is a valuable asset, and the Natives are willing to dispose of the same in open market. Summary. A. B. P. Lands under lease or negotiation for lease .. .. .. 31,282 024 Lands recommended for Maori occupation .. .. .. 33,454 116 Lands recommended to be incorporated, and of which at least onehalf will be available for general settlement . . .. 80,750 2 0 Lands recommended for lease and sale under Part I of " The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907" .. •.. .. .. 12,858 0 0 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 158,345 0 0 We have the honour to be, Your Excellency's humble and obedient servants, Robert Stout, A. T. Ngata, Commissioners.

SCHEDULE.

A.—Lands under Lease or Negotiation for Lease.

Name of Block. Owners. Area. Remarks. 'arish of Rangitaiki— Part Lot 29.. „ 30a 30b 30c 109 45 67 78 A. R. P. 630 0 0 520 0 0 640 0 0 640 0 0 ( 1,848 0 0 1,832 0 0 1,500 0 0 ( 1,500 0 0 ( 39 0 0 i 200 0 0 50 years' term. ,, (negotiations pending). „ 31 229 »j »> 32a .. .. 2 21 years' term. 13 years' term. 32b „ 32c .. ... „ 32d 32j Lot 32f .. . .• .. ! Part Lot 32g Lot 32e, f, g, and h (balance). . Part Lot 32k 32l .. :. 32m „ 32n „ 32o T' SI 2 2 21 8\ 6 16 1,656 0 0 124 0 0 62 0 0 1,561 0 0 50 years' term. 21 years' term. tt 50 years' term. 1,505 0 ol I tt tt ,, (part 145 acres for 21 years).

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A. —Lands under lease or Negotiation for Lease — continued.

B.—Lands recommended to be reserved for Maori Occupation under Part II of "The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907."

Name of Block. Owners. Area. Remarks. 3 arish of Rangitaiki — continued. Lot 33a No. 1 „ 33c No. 1 „ 33a No. 2 „ 33c No. 2 „ 33b „ 33d „ 33e „ 33j „ 33f No. 1 „ 33fNo. 11 „ 33f No. 2 „ 33f No. 12 „ 33f No. 3 „ 33f No. 10 ,. 33f No. 4 „ 33f No. 9 „ 33f No. 5 „ 33f No. 8 „ 33f No. 6 „ 33f No. 7 „ 33g No. 1 „ 33g No. 5 „ 33g No. 2 „ 33g No. 4 „ 33g No. 3 „ 33g No. 6 „ 33h „ 33k Part Lot 38a 38b Lot 41 „ 42 „ 43 (Omataroa)—Lot 60a No. 1a (part) No. 1b „ No. 2 „ No. 3a „ No. 3b .. „ No. 4 (part) No. 5 „ „ No. 7 „ No. 8 „ No. 9 „ ' Section 237, Parish of Waimana Section 235, Block II, Whakatane Survey District Lots 12b and 13, Whakatane Township I \ I f t I I I 1 J 1 J I I ) i" ) I ) I ) 5 6 31 9 7 14 11 17 11 12 7 14 25 a. B. P. 140 0 0 no 2 o 1,005 0 0 369 0 0 304 0 0 411 0 0 438 0 0 622 0 0 513 0 0 607 0 0 265 0 0 422 0 0 998 0 0 Under lease expiring in 5 years. a 11 ii ii a ii ii ii 55 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 )» 11 11 11 11 It 11 I 18 659 2 0 It 11 51 81 131 86 131 564 2 0 640 0 0 4,877 0 0 77 0 0 75 0 0 50 years' term. ii Under lease expiring in 5 years. 21 years (pending). Lease expires in 10 years. 9 27 22 9 2 13 32 42 27 39 195 1 24 454 3 0 393 0 0 196 3 fl ' 35 2 0 250 0 0 673 0 0 636 0 0 364 0 0 678 2 0 30 0 0 20 0 0 25 years' term. 50 years' term. 25 years' term. 21 years' term. 50 years' term. »t Negotiations pending. 50 years' term. 5> , J 0 3 0 t> Total 31,282 0 24

Owners. Area. Remarks. Name of Block. 'arish of Rangitaiki— Lot 21 „ 28b .. 229 208 A. k. p. 158 0 0 2,506 0 0 109 45 67 78 700 0 0 297 1 18 452 1 29 618 1 35 Further subdivided, occupied and partly cultivated. Unleased balance. Part Lot 29 „ 30a „ 30b „ 30c >> »> >!

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B.—Lands recommended to be reserved for Maori Occupation under Part II of "The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907" — continued.

Name of Blook. Owners. Area. Remarks. Parish of Rangitaiki— continued. Lot 30d „ 30e „ 30f „ 30g Part Lot 31 32a „ 32b 32c 32d 32j Lot 32e „ 32h Part Lot 32k 32l „ 32m 32n Lot 37 2 4 40 8 229 L a. r. p. 35 2 6 71 0 12 4 0 0 126 0 0 1,363 0 0 714 0 0 Site of meeting-house. Unleased balance. 7 10 248 0 0 385 0 0 Unleased balance1 ) 645 0 0 Part Lot 38a 38b 51 81 275 0 0 491 2 01 571 0 0 Known as Putere Native Reserve. Unleased balances. Further subdivided into family holdings. Papakaingas have been defined by the Court. White-pine reserve. Lot 39 ,. 40 Lot 60a No. 1a (part) „ No. 1b „ „ No. 2 „ No. 3a „ „ No. 4 „ No. 5 „ No. 6 „ No. 7 (part) „ No. 8 No. 9a No. 9b No. 9c No. 9 (part) Lot 60e „ 60f „ 60g „ 60h Parish of Matata — Lot 72b No. 1 i 89 131 9 27 22 9 13 32 4 42 27 13 13 13 39 4 50 0 0 50 0 0 52 2 16 112 1 0 65 0 0 47 3 0 63 0 0 89 0 0 85 0 0 212 0 0 94 0 0 30 0 0 40 0 0 72 0 0 200 0 0 5 0 0 5 0 0 5 0 0 5 0 0 Unleased balance. Unleased balance. Unleased balance. Cemetery reserve. io 10 >; tt 11 13 4 112 12 19 187 55 35 62 152 152 207 293 2 191 1 o ol 2,230 1 21 j 63 1 10 86 2 30 166 0 0 203 0 0\ 129 0 0 230 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 2,416 0 0 Main kaingas and cultivations on this land, which has always been considered and treated as a reserve. Being cultivated by owners. Motiti A No. 2 „ A No. 3 „ B Motiti North C D E F G Putauaki No. 2 tt Being cultivated by owners. Waiohau 1a 158 7,464 0 0 Includes Mount Edgecumbe Reserve as " wahi tapu." Owned by Patuheuheu Tribe. Part owned by Mehaka Tokopounamu and party to be cut out and leased. Parish of Matata — Lot 21 „ 59a „ 63a 140 12 3 1,875 3 0 5 0 0 112 0 0 Poor land ; 281 acres under lease. Also known as Te Mimiha-Whaka-Parish of Waimana — Lot 239 40 0 0 rewa. „ 246 .. 34 99 1,575 0 0 To be incorporated under section 61 for farming purposes. Partly in Opotiki County.

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B. —Lands recommended to be reserved for Maori Occupation under Part II of "The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907" — continued.

C. —Lands recommended to be incorporated under Section 28 of "The Maori Land Claims Adjustment and Laws Amendment Act, 1907."

D. —Lands recommended for Settlement under Part I of "The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907."

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,500 copies), £3 10s. 6d.

By Authority: John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9oB. Price 6d.]

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Name of Block. Owners. Area. Remarks. 'arish of Waimana — continued. Lot 260a ,,274 Vaimana No. 1b 1 No. 1b 2 No. lc 1 No. lc 2 No. lc 3 No. Id Lot 313, Parish of Waimana 211 25 32 10 20 2 8 A. 8 15 500 100 2,000 1,043 100 1,250 600 R. P. 0 0 2 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Maori kainga at Whakatane. Also called Te Aua-a-Muriwai. Land allocated to the late Te Kooti. Total 33,454 ! 16

Name of Block. Owners. Area. Remarks. 'arish of Rangitaiki— (Omataroa) — Lot 60a No. 10 „ 60b .. „ 60c .. „ 60d .. 'arish of Matata— Lot 39a „ 59b 'uararangaia No. 1b No. 2b .. 3b No. 2 .. latahina A No. Id A No. 2 A No. 3 B No. 2 225 90 479 121 9 86 719 406 167 517 149 500 63 a. r. p. 3,536 2 0 2,783 0 0 5,000 0 0 3,741 0 0 6,837 0 0 12,285 0 0 2,619 0 0 713 0 0 1,454 0 0 28,795 0 Ol 2,000 0 0 10,000 o of 987 0 OJ 1,000 acres to be reserved. Approximate. Valuable timber, estimated at 306,000,000 ft., on these blocks. Total 80,750 2 0

Name of Block. Owners. Area. Remarks. 'okohu C No. 3 57 A. 3,122 R. 0 p. 0 1,122 acres for Maori occupation, 1,000 acres for lease, and 1,000 acres for sale. For sale. „ D .. tot 247, Parish of Waimana latahina C South C No. Ib i * 801 1 135 43 9,030 40 333 333 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 For lease. For sale. Total 12,858 0 0