ORAKEI MAORIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 24, 30 January 1939, Page 8

ORAKEI MAORIS.

DON'T WANT TO GO.

MEETING HELD YESTERDAY.

SEEKING LEGAL ADVICE. Over fifty Orakei Maoris gathered at the meeting house at Orakei yesterday afternoon to discuss the position which hag arisen in connection with Orakei lands. After much investigation, Mr. Justice Kennedy, Royal Commissioner, who wax appointed to inquire into the Maoris' alleged grievances with regard to land at Orakei, gave a decision last week in favour of the Crown. In connection with the church site, on the hill at Orakei, he held that the price paid by the Crown wa*> fair and reasonable, and if the natives had another .place to go to there was no justification for them continuing in Another area in dispute was six or seven acres known as Orakei 2B Block, and the finding was that the purchase by the Crown was valid. Mr. Xia Hira presided at the gathering yesterday, and the chief speaker was Mr. Xgapipi Reweti, chairman of the marae council. Finally, it wa<3 decided to seek legal advice.

One of the Orakei Maoris said this morning that none of them wanted to leave their present home*. Those affected most at the moment were Maoris living on the old church site, and they could not leave there until they had a place to go to. The only areas now left for native occupation were a twelve-acre reserve at the back of the Orakei settlement, and the two and a half-acre reserve near the Waterfront Road, on which there are a number of small houses occupied by Maoris. It was pointed out that the Orakei Maoris regarded their troubles as a community matter. Thev wish to remain at Orakei, but have' indicated that tney would not be averse to moving into better houses were new homes found for them.