NATIVE LANDS IN THE NORTH ISLAND (RETURN SHOWING THE APPROXIMATE POSITION OF) AS AT 30th SEPTEMBER, 1909.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1909 Session II, G-03

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1909. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE LANDS IN THE NORTH ISLAND (RETURN SHOWING THE APPROXIMATE POSITION OF) AS AT 30th SEPTEMBER, 1909.

Laid on the Table l>;i Leave of the House.

Rkti'kn showing the Approximate Position of Native Lands in the North Island as at 30th September, 1909. Acres. Acres. Area of Native lands held by Maoris as at 21st December, 1908, as estimated by the Native Land Commission ... ... ... ... 7,465,000 Less — (a.) Area since acquired by Crown purchase ... ... 14,680 (b.) Area since acquired by private purchases ... ... 28,495 (c) Area already sold and included in error in Commission's estimate (approximate) ... ... 20,000 63,175 Leaving a balance (as at 30th September, 1909) of ... 7,401,825 Area estimated to be profitably occupied: — 1. Lands leased direct by Maori owners : Acres. (a.) Confirmed by Native Land Court (approximate) 1,495,000 (b.) Approved by Maori Land Boards ... ... 1,065,958 2,560,95s 2. Lands leased on behalf of owners : (a.) Through the Maori Land Boards ... ... 234,646 (b.) By the East Coast Trust Land Board ... 63,676 (c.) Under the Mangatu No. 1 Empowering Act ... 51,295 (d.) By the Public Trustee ... ... ... 136,523 486,140 3. Lands in Maori occupation as papakaingas and farms (estimated) ... ... ... ... ... ... 360,000 3,407,098 Leaving approximate balance of ... ... ... ... 3,994,727 The position of this balance is approximately as follows ; 1. Vested in the Public Trustee and available for settlement ... ... 55,750 2. Vested in the East Coast Trust Land Commissioner ... ... ... 122,712 3. Vested in trustees for settlement (chiefly in Poverty Bay) ... ... 66,169 4. Vested in Maori Land Boards : — (a.) Under the Maori Lands Administration Acts, 1900 to 1905, and under special enactment or trust, and available for lease ... .... ... ... ... ... 166,158 (b.) Under the Native Land Settlement Act of 1907, on the recommendation of the Native Land Commission, and available for sale and lease ... ~. ... 242,529 „ 408,687

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5. Area in respect of which Orders in Council now in course of pre- Acres. Acres. paiation. (This will be available for sale and lease under " The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907 ") ... ... ... ... 15,814 6. Balance recommended by Native Land Commission for general settlement, but issue of Orders in Council delayed pending allocation of areas and definition of boundaries ... ... ... ... 415,407 7. Area in respect of which Maori Land Boards appointed agents for purpose of leasing to Maoris, as recommended by Native Land Commission ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 38,390 8. Area reserved by Order in Council for Maori occupation as family farms and papakaingas ... ... ... ... ... ... 80,117 9. Recommended by Commission to be incorporated for Maori occupation ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 60,490 10. Areas incorporated or in course of incorporation on application by Native Minister as recommended by Commission : (a.) For Maori occupation ... ... ... ... 40,546 (/>.) For occupation by Maoris and Europeans ... ... 177,966 218,512 11. Balance recommended by Commission to be reserved for Maori occupation, not yet dealt with by Ordei in.Council ... ... ... 358,426 12. Area subject to timber agreements validated by Parliament on the recommendation of tbe Commission ... ... ... ... 135,000 13. Area subject to Tutira and Waimarama leases validated by Parliament ... ... ... ... ... ..." ... ... 24,773 14. Balance subject to " The Thermal Springs Act, 1908 " ; (a.) In respect to which power to lease has been delegated to the Board by the Governor ... ... ... 40,685 (b.) Recommended by the Commission for Maori and European settlement ... ... ... ... 67,308 107,993 15. Lands subject to the Urewera District Native Reserves Act recommended by the General Committee to be vested in Board for purposes of lease (approximate) ... ... ... ... ... 180,000 Total available for settlement ... ... ... 2,288,240 This leaves a balance of 1,706,487 acres which may be said not to be profitably utilised. This may be accounted for as follows:— 1. Papatupu land —the titles to which have not been investigated, or have only Acres. been partially investigated, and until investigation cannot be settled ... 490,752 2. Balance subject to the Urewera District Native Reserve Act ... ... 466,862 3. Balance subject to the Thermal Springs Act (estimated) ... ... ... 189,692 4. Balance not dealt with ... ... ... ... ... ... 559^181 1,706,487 There is a large area under profitable occupation leased to Europeans either by informal leases or on short terms for grazing purposes. Reliable figures cannot be obtained, and therefore, for the purposes of this return, these areas have been treated as not being profitably occupied. In the Taupo and Inland Patea districts there is estimated to be an area of 550,000 acres, for the most part poor land, which cannot be profitably utilised for many years to come. Exclusive of the balance (358,426 acres) recommended by the Native Land Commission for Maori occupation, but not yet dealt with" by Order in Council, the Aores. area now available for settlement is ... ... ... ... ... 1 348 061 To this may be added the area acquired by the Crown and available for settlement on the optional system ... ... ... ... ... ... 281 083 Making a total of - ... ... ... ... 1,629,144 Native Department, Wellington, 11th October, 1909. Approximate < ost .</ I'uper.- Preparation, uot giTen ; printinK (1,400 copies), f 1 10s. 6d.

By Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington—l9o9.

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