NATIVES' LAND.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 143, 23 July 1914, Page 3

NATIVES' LAND.

COMMISSION OF EfIQTJIBY.

The Commission that has been constituted to enquire into the provisions made for landless Natives in the South Island and in the Waikato-Maniapoto Native Land Court district sat at Kaiapoi to hear evidence yesterday. The Commission was set up consequent oa complaints made by Natives that the . lands set apart for them are of practically no use. Maoris living around Kaiapoi, Bapaki, and Taumutu have inter- • ests in sections set apart for them ii| the extreme south of the South Island, in and around the Orepuki district, and further westward. The country is rough, and inaccessible, and Natives want their • land nearer their places of residence. - The Commission consisted of Judge M. Gilfedder-and Mr H. D. M. Haszard. Mr H. P. Parata acted as clerk and interpreter. ; . The first witness was Taituha Hape, who said that a deputation to the Native Minister had been formed to enquire into the position of the Ngaitahu claims and into the position of the landless Natives of the South Island. One of the matters had been an enquiry into the matter of Natived making claims under different names, and also as .to .. whether the land referred to was of any use to the Natives. It was at this deputation that the Minister had suggested the Cdmkissura~' to enquire into the f whole, Witness complained that three-quarter-caste had been included in the benefits of the land. If this: were mot <ilotie th:« Crown would have more land and the genuine Natives would have a better chance of getting more land. He was not agreeable to have Southland lauA valued and taken over by the Government, and the money allocated for the purchase of land in Canterbury. He considered the Southland land valueless, and the Government would not ba able to get any Canterbury land worth speaking of. Evidence was also given by Thomatf Green, H. T. Pere, Wiremu Pahio Paipeta, W. D. Barrett, Harawina Te Keepa, and other Natives, and it was decided to hold a meeting of Kaiapoi Natives to-night to discuss the question. The Commission sat again to-day.