ROTORUA COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13098, 24 April 1908, Page 4

ROTORUA COUNTRY.

* — ) NATIVE LAND COMMISSION'S REPORT.

IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS.

(rRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.. WELLINGTON, April 23. Tbo report of-the Native Land Commission on tho EotoTU-a couvtry, states that out of 629.760 acres, :i08,512 have been acquired by the Crown and Europeans, though chiefly by tbe former. Tlie Crown has purchased all these blocks containing springe, except it Tikitere The Commission strongly ur-*re. that all timber should be oo:;.- - l-* nd ** * whole M rot verv good, and the timber is its host crop. It would be better for settlement- to wait than to burn off the timber to craze- one or two sheep to the acre The Ngati Fikino tribe havo n>ade up their minds to adopt uicorivoration. and the Commission recom-mt-nds that tbear- own committees -•hould be given powers \• > deal with lands in the manner priscribwl by the Act cf last session. For lands within the Thermal So rings Act the Commission maker, special reooiv rnoiu] ations. It su.-rgests that Ol.bol acres Iso referred to the Native Uuid Court for sub-division, making-m all 181,0<4 <lcalt with. i • . r In reference to tho complaints of I I'iotorua M.noris about the terms of the purohnso of the township, tlie Commis- ' .ion tiav-3 that in 1880 -about- 3020 acres ! were set n.-Vle. for the township of I'ot-aniii. The Government undertook i tc< act :.» a.-acnt.. for leasing, and to I -r.llc.rt rents." The lres-rcs entered into ! occupation, but after the first payments, from which the preliminary fees were rigidly deducted, the rent, foil into arrears, and the Government nejr'.octtyl to .cpllect thorn. When the Ngati* Wh-akane saw that -not only were written agreements left unfulfilled, but verbal promises were disregarded or repudiated, they 1-eca.me suspicious that all was not well. The Government Mien mr-pared to buy the township of Rutoiiia. Tbe prc-r.-ri=al found the native owners in a position of despair fiom back routs owing and not accounte.! for. At the time they reckoned that about £13,000 in rent and moneys was "payable to tthe.ni, but tbe price offered and payable for tho freehold of the township land was only about. £7.300. On the day the leases were offered there was paid to the Commissioner of Crown Lands £1353 ss, half a year's rent. The freehold, when acquired, was only worth the rental value for tliTce years. ''Not being versed in the mysteries of arithmetic, we could not oil ceo as against our benevolent agent that it lad taken advantage of our ignorance and confidonoe." Tlieire is also attached to the report a .memorandum signed by the chiefs and members of tho.Ngati Whaka-no Hapu. Tlie Commission urges that tho allegations contained therein, especially regarding Rotorua, aro such that they deserve ewp'lanation or denial by the Native Land Purchase Department. Tho truth or falsity of the charges must be known to tlho depa rtment. '"If it be a fact," states tiie Commission, "that while acting as trustee for the natives, tho Crown, having prohibited the natives from selling their lands, bought them at an inadequate price, the action of tho Grown cannot be defonded. _A transaction, of that charootcr would, if it took placo between an ordinary trustee and beneficiary, bo set aside by any Court of Justice beforo whom the matter came for decision. If it lie found, therefore, that the statements cannot be disputed;' then certainly tho Ngati Wliuikane Hapu should now receivo from tho Crown beneficent consideration." Th© report states that tho Arawas, as a people, aro active and intelligent, and, under supervision, are capable and energetic worbmon. They have given satisfaction to the Public Works and Forestry Departments, and to the kto Rotorua Town Board. These an* ploycrs spoke in high te-nms of their intelligence, capacity, and.-.* assiduity." There is amongst them splendid material awaiting development and organisation on industrial lines-. Tho Commission is of opinion that it' is the duty of the State to undertake Buoh organisation and development. It suggests, with the approval of the natives, that a oommrunod farm, of from two to three thousand acres, should be set apart for each of th© following bapiis:—-Ngati Whakau. Tahounai-ngi, and Ngati Uenuka..opako, and two communal farms for the Ngati Pikiao. These farms should be used for experimental purposes, and the managers eho-iild be psblo to act as agricultural instructors, so that the farm's could be used as schools of agriculture for the younger Maoris. At first the State oould find a portion of tbo instructor's salary, but -the farms could beair all other expenses." The State's share would be a mere bagatelle. Im, tho Commission's opinion there is a- greater 7ieceesity ior the Government undeirtaking the experiment than there is in older countries.