NATIVE LANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 72, 24 March 1908, Page 3

NATIVE LANDS.

EXPLORATION OF THE TJKBWERA -

COUNTRY.

(By Telegraph.—Special to Star.)

ROTORUA,Monday. . ...The Hon. Jhs-Carroli, Native Minister, was accompanied to Rotorua to-day by the Hon. T. .Thompson, M.L.C.,. and Te Heuheu Tukino, chief of Ngatituwharetoa. At Ngaruawahia the private secretary (Mr. Gordon); handed out a large bale of plans, about four feet in length and eighteen inches through: These were for use at the Maori meeting, which is still in; progress. The place looks like a military camp, with long rows _ : .of the tents of the Maoris who assembled for this meeting. A big crowd gathered at the station to see the Native Minister, who had a ; short conversation with Mr. James Mackay, the veteran native interpreter. The plans were for the use of c the committees for the purpose of marking thereon "the areas of native land to be sold, leased, or reserved for, the Maoris to farm themselves. \

The 1 Moerangi blocks of 45,000 acres, situated between Kanvliia and Raglan, has been dealt with to a certain, extent, the block committee having now about complete"3 their work, which -will be submitted to the Maori Land , Board for the district for review and confirmation.

A considerable amount of work has already been done by these committees, and endorsed by the meetings, but the final settlement of all matters will be held over until .Mr. Carroll's return from Ruatoki, where he is, to meet the Urewera natives to go into the question of throwing open the country for prospecting. Rumours of gold in the Urewera Country have existed for years, but nothing, definite is known. As there is a large area of utterly unexplored country in Tufioeland, the Government consider course to adopt is to get the Maoris' consent to throw open the -whole area, and leave it to prospectors to prove whether or not payable goldbearing lodes exist. Legislation passed last session enables this to be done subject to the consent of native owners, and it is to obtain this that Mr. Carroll visits Ruatoki and meets the natives this week.