THE LITTLE BARRIER ISLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 259, 1 November 1893, Page 2

THE LITTLE BARRIER ISLAND.

The negobiabions proceeding bebween bhe Governmenb and bhe native owners of the Little Barrier Island (Hauburu) ab bhe entrance to the Hauraki Gulf, are not being proceeded wibh very expeditiously, bub ab bhe same time the Government authorities havo done all bhey can for the acquisibion of bhe the island as a national preserve for native flora and fauna—short of offering a price which the Maori owners will accept. The question of price is bhe only one about which bhere is any difficulty. The presenb position in regard to Hauburu is thab bhe Governmenb have succeeded in acquiring outrighb 7^ shares oub of the 10 shares originally granted to tho 13 native owners. Accordingly, the Governmenb now own aboub three-fourths of bhe wholo island block, and the remaining 2_ shares are in bhe possession of Tonebahi and his family, the native owners. Last week Mrs Wepiha (Webster), a native woman, who held one-half share—equal to one-twentieth of the whole block—*old io to bhe Government for tho sum of £150. Tenotahi at present ia the chief obstacle in the way of the acquisition of the island by the Governmenb, bub he is quite willing to sell if the Government will only give him a fair price for his interesb in the island. He considers that tho Government do nob treat him ab all fairly, in thab bhey will neither give him what ho wants for the block nor allow bim to dispose of it to private persons. The Government, however, cannob allow such an exceptionally valunble locality to pass into private hands, now thab they have acquired so large a portion of it. Tenetahi and his friends consider tho island well worth £6,000, in fact, the kauri timber and gum on the place are estimated to be worth a greab deal more. The Government now prohibit persons from destroying bhe timber or the native birds on tho island, and Tenetahi also does his best to aid the Governmenb in preserving the rare native birds in the forests of the Hauburu. Nearly all bho native birds of New Zealand are represented on tho Libtle Barrier, including the kiwi, korimako, tui, ebc, with the exception of the huia, the mabnku and one or two others. Wild cabs and rats, however, are feared bo be injuring the native fauna. It is to bo trusted that everything will be done to preserve the indigenous vegetation and birds on tho island, and that it will shortly become a State conservatory for the rarer forms of life, which are fast passing away from the more accessible parts of the co'onj\