Maori Land Councils.

Maori Record : a journal devoted to the advancement of the Maori people, Volume I, Issue 2, 1 August 1905, Page 1

Maori Land Councils.

OHOTU BLOCK. It. is proposed that if the reserves lor native occupation to he made on the five million acres, said to he left of the Maori estate, are not to he administered by the Public Trustee, they shall be operated by the Maori Land Councils. The

errors inherent to the one system are present in the other—continual danger of legislative interference, tending to deprive the natives of their reserves, and Government predominance. The Ohotu block is the only one, we believe, yet placed upon the market by the Councils. The Hon. Mr Carroll lately stated in the House that the block contained about 58,000 acres, that during the last two months 3610 acres have been taken up, and during the last six months ending 30th June, 17,612 acres. We find that of the area chosen by selectors, as above, 10,839 acres have been taken up by the Maoris themselves. They were promised 5000 acres for their own farm settlements. They tried to get partition through the Native Land Court, and were told that the law provided for no such operation. They could only gain possession of their own lands for use by leasing them, the same as Europeans were slowly doing. So they are resuming occupation that way, but the prospect of having thus to pay, and the change from a clear native title to a leasehold one from the Councils, are not likely to encourage other owners of other blocks. And the position demonstrates that before the scheme foreshadowed by the Premier at Rotorua can be worked out by the Council, legislative changes in the Act governing procedure must be made. Farming- settlements for natives must be made before the lands are placed in the hands of the Council for lease.