MAORIS FOR LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 210, 5 September 1930, Page 10

MAORIS FOR LAND.

GROUP SETTLEMENT WORK.

MR. COATES' COMMENDATION

DIFFICULTIES YET TO COME

(By Telegraph.— Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Thursday.

The work of settling Maoris on the J land was very favourably commented cm in the House of - Representatives today The Et. Hon. J: G.'Coates, Leader. of the Opposition, thanked the Minister] for the trouble he had gone to m helping the Maoris in his district. Most otj the troubles lay ahead. They had got the Maoris interested in farming, ana had provided the money, but there was still an element of experiment. < ine Maori eometimes became lackadaisical, but with proper guidance it should, be easy to keep Wβ attention on his work. Reasonable precautions had been taken to see that the work would be eupeivised, and all the elements were right for placing the Maoris back on their own land. The Hem. E. A. Ransom, Minister, of Land*,■ congratulated the Native Min-ister-on the work he himself had seen, which was an example of the efforts made to put a group settlement scheme into operation. He considered that in cases where the area was too large for native requirements the unwanted balance should be available for Europeans. Sir Apirana Ngata, Minister of Native Affairs, said there would-be a detailed report later of the work that was being done. Up to March laet little money had been spent. Care had been exercised, in the selection of men for development work, so that there would be as little risk as possible with the money borrowed for the scheme. The scheme would cost money, but it was necessary cost, and he did not think the House would grudge if.