STILL INCREASING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 172, 23 July 1941, Page 6

STILL INCREASING

I « MAORI POPULATION RISE (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. It is recorded in the annual report ! of the Native Department, which | was tabled in the House of Repre- j sentatives. that the Maori popula- i tion has again shown a steady in- j crease, the total at March 31, 1941, being 92.248, compared with 90,980 at the corresponding date last year. Native land development opera- j tions had been continued and every ; effort was being made to increase the I productivity of all suitable areas. | Despite difficulties caused by war conditions, very satisfactory progress had been made with the' native housing problem. It was pleasing to note that an | excellent response had been made '■ by Maori members of the staff to the call for volunteers for the Maori Battalion. No fewer than 16 staff members had gained commissions. Expenditure from the Consolidated Fund on native affairs was £137,303 ' and the recoveries £24.400. The number of alienations of ' native land during the vear was 441, ' affecting an area of 35.589 acres, ' about the same area as last vear. ' The estimated area of native 'land remaining to Maoris was 1.008,000 ; acres and land vested in the Maori ' land boards amounted to 060,210 acres. <