ORAKEI MAORIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 157, 5 July 1937, Page 8

ORAKEI MAORIS.

"SIMPLE JUSTICE."

GOVERNMENT'S PURCHASE

COST OF DEVELOPMENT.

" 'Simple justice' for the Orakei natives, has been shouted from the hometops lately in some quarters, but is it 'simple justice' that is really being asked for, or something at the expense of the pakeha'r' queried a prominent Auckland property owner this morning when commenting on the request of the Orakei Maoris that the Government hand back to them 40 acres of the flat land at the Orakei village. "Supposing a European sold his land and was well paid for it, and after the purchaser had spent huge .-urns in it» development tlu> children of the seller asked for a portion of the land back. What would the purchaser Kay?" he continued. "The reply, in effect", would be, '} ou can't eat your cake and hare it too:'" In a strictly legal sense this uj approximately the position at Orakei to-day. The Crown purchased some 630 acres from the Maoris. Included in the uvea was the papakainga of 40 acres— at least all of it except 2* acres that tne individual owners refused to sell and still hold. It is this flat area of land that the natives are now asking to be returned, in addition to four acres on the hill overlooking the village which at one time was held mider trust for church purpose*, but which was afterwards sold to the State. Petition Turned Down. The natives petitioned Parliament for the return of both areas some ve ars a«o and recently the Government announced that the petition could not be acceded to, either in respect to the return of the 44 acres, or in respect to a proposal for the establishment of a model native village. The Maoris are reluctant to take this decision as final and are awaitim* the return of the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon M. J. Savage, from the Imperial Conference when they intend to again make their appeal for "simple justice," In a comprehensive rt-;n>rt to the Auckland City Council two rears ago the Mayor. Sir Ernest Davis*, said he had devoted considerable time and thought to Orakei in all its varvinjj and complex angles. e "From my inquiries I find that the purchase of Orakei was initiated largely through a request from the Auckland City Council and the motive underlying this request was to provide a model suburb and to prevent the area falling into the hands of speculators/' he said. "The Government proceeded with a scheme of purchase and later a competition was arranged calling f or plane of subdivision based on modern town planning lines.

Total Cost £750,000. "The total area, of Orakei is 630 acres, and at the time of purchase the land was privately leased. Including interest up to 1926 the purchase price paid for the native and lessees' interests amounted to £160,000. Monev spent on roads, including a portion of the Waterfront Road, totalled £290.000, making a total of £-150,000. This is the cost as the property stands at present, bat it is anticipated that eventually the cost will run into more like £750,000 when roading is completed and the whole property subdivided. It may. of coarse, amount to an even larger figure. "The existing native village is situated at the mouth of the valley, which is the natural outlet of a large portion of Orakei. Any move, having for its object the permanent establishment of native occupation, must therefore be carefully considered by the Lands Department, which acts as trustee for the taxpayers* money spent at Orakei. The Crown paid a sum exceeding £9000 for the papakainga area, and the purchase was completed before the Waterfront Road was constructed, which thereby added greatly to the present value. Forty acres of land would represent a sum of £30,000. basing the calculations on a pro rata of costs divided iuto the whole acreage of the block. A number of houses occupied Ivy natives are actually situated on Crown land, apart altogether from tlie two acres and a half which is still owned bv the natives."'

Model Native Village Dealing with the proposal for the establishment of a model native village at Orakei, Sir Ernest in his report, said: "Frankly, at one time I was under tbe impression that the establishment of such a village was an undertaking which the city might properly sponsor, but research into all the governing factors, combined with closer and more detailed review of all the relevant circumstance*, and examination of the evidence I have collected has driven me to the conclusion that such a project is not within the oounds of practical politics." Mr. P. F. Xotley reported to the City Council in 1935 that, exclusive of Europeans, there were 79 adults and 48 children living at Orakei village. He valued the buildings in the village at £1650. "I consider there are only actually three decent dwellings in the village, the remainder not being suitable habitations, to local body requirements," added Mr. Xotlev.