NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14563, 14 January 1913, Page 10

NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY,

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, January 13. The Hon. W. H. Herrics received several deputations at Opotiki on the subject of opening native lands for settlement.

Ho said the great object for coming legislation would be to mingle the two races, and put them on the samo footing in relation to dealings in their lands, instead of separating thorn as in former times. The whole root of the native land business was the- title. What he proposed to do when he had been over the North Island and had tho opinions of men experienced in the native land question, would bo to try to simplify the procedure and lessen the expense of getting native lands fixed up. Succession orders and partition orders must be brought up-to-date. He intended that if natives themselves I would not apply for succession orders, native land judges should adjudicate and issue orders. When this was done and surveys made enabling land' to be individualised, or referred to ownership of hapus, they would have solved the crux of the native land question. Legislation he intended to introduce next session would be directed to that end. With reference to the purchase of land in the Uruwera country, the titles were not vet defined , . As soon as tho Court finished dealing with the matter, and the owners of the different blocks were known, he would bo quite prepared to buy the land of any native who wished to sell. Subject to the necessary loans having been raised, the policy of tho Government was to open up native lands for settlement to the benefit of both races. He was entirely opposed to any confiscation in the disposal of native lands. What he wanted to do was to place the Maori and nakeha on the same footing, and" to facilitate the exchange of native lands for pakeha cash.