NATIVE LANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 194, 14 August 1920, Page 13

NATIVE LANDS.

KOTHIXCi LEFT FOX PAKEHA

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday.

Tin- Native Department is sometimes twitted with nut publishing figures and making .statements about the position of native lands, states the annual report of the Native Department. All the figured and statements that can be made will not alter the position, which is that the -Maoris have disposed of nearly all the lands they ran dispose of without making the bulk oi them landless, later probably to become a charge on thu

This pronouncement is supported by figures showing that the area owned by the. .Maoris at March ;U was 4,757,05(i acres, oi which the following areas were profitably oi'eupied: Leased through the Maori l.nnd j'.oar.ls 2,810,037 acres, 1.-ased and farin<-d by Kast Const Trust < '••uimisKioiier L r >S,4:i:2 acres, leased by I'uldie Tnifitep 1,338 acres, occupied by

.-•liu.-ri uivuits 330,000 acres, U-aviiij? area i;awTii|iiwl 1,277,-78 nc-n-s. II to the last urea is added 1180,000 acres occupied by Maori owners, there is a total area of 1.(i,')7,278 acres; but eliminating "50,000 acres of pumice areas, mountain tops, etc., leaves 1107.278 acres suitable for settlement, which cannot, save the report, lie recorded as an excessive area for 47,000* Maoris comprising the population'of tile Xortll Island. Tims, instead cit there bring lanro areas of native land available for general settlement, it would seom that there is barely sufficient for the natives themselves. Seeinp that Kuropcnus have acquired about 02,000,000 acrets of native land, the report sug|fenl« it should not !><■ (bought unreiipbnalile *n allow the native owners to retain tin- small area remaining to them, for it can safely he said that the. lands leased to tl.e KurnjH-ana will never return t<. the oivupivtiou of native owners. The {Treat problem is to yet them settled upon their individual holdings, but this is an object not likely to be fully realised, as all the Maoris will not become fanners any more than will all Europeans.