NATIVE LANDS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 590, 19 August 1909, Page 6

NATIVE LANDS.

NEW PROPOSALS AS TO SURVEYING. Dealing further with the Native land problem, the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. J. Carroll) points out' that'under the. ' Native Lands Acts the approval of the Native Minister- is required tor the authority to survey Native lands.. .This permission was (he-says) made by the Legislature at the very commencement of the surveys of Native'lands as a shfeguard - against trouble arising between contending factions and claimants. The Maoris' did not recognise the theory that all'the lands of the Dominion belong to the Crpwn, an'd that before any area can be Crown-granted, preliminaries, such as surveys and investigations of title, have to be gone through. It is now recognised that circumstances have considerably changed, and that the necessity no. longer exists for a provision of this nature. Maoris everywhere have recognised the necessity of correct surveys before they can obtain the proper titles to. their lands.- The procedure for obtaining authority. to survey is as follows:—Tho Natives'claiming any lands, or the majority of them, apply for a survey to the Chief Surveyor of . the district, who reports to the Surveyor-General as to the value of the land that is to bo surveyed, and as to whether tho estimated cost of survey is; within such valuation. The application is sent on by the Surveyor-General to' the Native Minister for his approval. On approval; the authority is issued by the Surveyor-General, returned to the Chief Surveyor for the . district, and he in turn sends it to the surveyor authorised to carry out the work. It is conceivable that between the time the application is made and the grant of the authority, delay may take place. Instead of requiring the majority of the owners i of a block to sign applications for survey, it "is now proposed that oa the certificate of a judge of tho Nativo Land Court, that a survey is necessary, the duty is cast upon the Chief Surveyor of each district to make arrangements to carry out tho order of tho Court. Instead of, tho Chief Surveyor referring the matter to the Surveyor-General or the -Native Department, ho will make his own arrangements. It is also proposed that in order to expedite the completion of these surveys, the State should undertake or guarantee the survey charges, takine a lien against the land affected.