CLAIMS BY MAORIS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 291, 8 December 1944, Page 4

CLAIMS BY MAORIS

SETTLEMENT MOVE TWO BILLS PRESENTED By Teletfranh.— Parliamentary Reporter. WELLINGTON, this day. Two measures designed to settle long-standing Maori claims in respect to confiscated lands and South Island land purchases were introduced in the House of Representatives last night. When the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland, expressed the hope that they were really final, the Native Minister, Mr. Mason, explained that the Taranaki Land Claims Bill had been submitted to the native people concerned and had met with their approval. The settlement followed the lines of the recommendations of the Royal Commission of which the late Mr. Justice Sim was president, and provided that a sum of £5000, which had been placed on the Estimates annually, would be made a statutory payment and that £300 would be paid in respect of the Parihaka Pa claim. Mr. Holland asked how many years would the payment of the £5000 be continued.

The Minister replied that it would be in perpetuity. He added that the Ngaitahu Claim Settlement Bill authorised the payment of £300,000 in full settlement, the amount to be paid in thirty annual instalments of £10,000. As in the case of the Taranaki payments, the money would be handled by the Maori trust boards. The bills were read a" second time formally, and referred to the Native Affairs Committee.