MAORI CLAIMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 302, 21 December 1935, Page 16

MAORI CLAIMS.

LAND AT ORAKEI.

FURTHER ACTION SOUGHT.

DEPUTATION TO MR SAVAGE

The request that the report of an inquiry held by Judge F. O. V. Acheson, Judge ■. of the,N-ative Land Court, in July, 1930, should be laid before Parliament as prescribed by law, was made by Mr. J. J. Sullivan, legal adviser to the Maoris at Orakei, ir. the course of a deputation from the natives which waited on the Prime Jlinister, Hon. M. J. Savage, yesterday. Mr. Savage sat in his capacity of Minister of Native Affairs.

The deputation concerned native claims to land at Orakei, and consisted of Heha Hira, llikoi Kawhera and Hauraki, together with Mr. Sullivan.

Mr. Sullivan stated that there were two petitions presented to the House of Representatives in 1928. The result of the hearing of such petitions was the passing of section 50 of the Native Land Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Act, 1928. This ordered an inquiry into the matter by a Native Land Court Judge, and enacted that a report and recommendation be laid before Parliament as soon as possible.

Judge Acheson, said Mr. Sullivan, concluded the inquiry on July 18, 1930, and his report was forwarded to Wellington to the proper office. The report, however, had not been presented to Parliament, as ordered. The Crown Land Department was forciDg tho partition of the Orakei block at the beginning of 1935; but the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, then Native Minister, was approached in the matter and the application was held up wliile Mr. Forbes had an opportunity of looking at Judge Acheson's report.

The deputation now asked, Mr. Sullivan continued, that the report of the Judge should be presented to the House of Representatives, so that Parliament might take action on it, if it Were thought proper. In a report submitted the previous day to the Auckland City Council, a local committee had stated that it was sure that no satisfactory arrangement could be made by the council until the dispute and discontent over the question of land titles in the village area at Orakei was definitely settled by the Government.

Mr. Savage replied that the position would be investigated, and he would see that the law was given its course.