WEST COAST NATIVE RESERVES

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 664, 15 November 1909, Page 3

WEST COAST NATIVE RESERVES

the representatives of the' West .Coast' '■ ■% Native Union returned to Taraiiaki, -soino of- * ■£ them,approached a,reporter of Thb DoMWiON'v '«' ■ with tho reply given.' by: the Prime.'•'>'•> ■■■ flf'v- L° n Thur!i . aa r last ., to the deputation, oa : '■', ; .-.;. : not been for. the oVthe : ■'& Sm, lands : by i tho Tublic'Trnsiw: ho' : : '.'■'' (bir.,.lflscph) was.afraid ; that:,mdny.aroa&\faiadi ': '"■ have been'sold, and that unmoors of the Nativ«" -\. people would' have become impoverished." > ( -The delegates stated; that that statement* .-: (mado_not alstr'by tlia :: ': n^v^i;- a .TO ! )).-Xas.,inMnM.wd i l mißlcadiitß.-:.,;'■.,-; ihe conditions contained-in" the &oml grariS; : ". themselves were "a- sufficient.'guarantee ! thaf - : ""■* the iNatives ;would, never- "bocomo.impover-'''-.i'--ished. . The restrictions,in'grants ,wer<i as 'fol--iow:- O n . conditio shall be inalienable by sale, .gift;;or;mort-' i ' [gage, or m any other way, except as'followsr-> =■■.'■; that is to say, first,.'by: exchange' for other --'vi lands of at least equal value, such lands taken ■ W in exchango being hold' in fee simrde. .Second,'- : ; : J pyicase-for any terms not exceeding 21 veare.^.; ; " _ Under the -present .law .tho Public 'Trustee : ■'{■ is. empowered ,tq. arbitrarily','lease' birr /lands »•'"'' "("■ (saui.the delegate) '-for- all. time iitearfless-as'-.-- 1 ---: to whether, we/have■'sufficient, land .'' for our- t? ; wives or. not.- -A- great-,many, of:us oven -nbwT- ','-•; have no . land - at .all', to :livo;urx>u, Hho' 6amel : - ; -15 having been leased- by the: Public.Trusteed have, therefore; become; impoverished. ' 'Eur-'"• :V : :;' ther, ordinary, alienation:' of Native' lands' is ■ ';' ; not given.effect to'-by"the*Native Land CouTt'-;',.'■'''-or" Maori',Land Boards, unless', ■ the :'■ Na&e ■'<' v. alienating has suffioientland for Jus' mninteri- ;■'' A ance, and' support.:.;.' There 'is, no . such protec-, ' ''■'■'$ tion given the'Wcst Coast* Settlement Eo. ■■•"•& serves Act,, 1892. -:; The .great majority ,';of thV ; V'' Natives at' Tarahaki are: seething : with ■'-'!' V content -at-: the jdministrntion', of their lands • ; '3 by j the:PnbUc-;Tjwtee > 'a'nd'wiU'-n6t-'.lie : «tisVi^^-'-i'. : £! bed .until a- commission '.'of inquiry is set • up;' -':''■ a Twill quote: : one, cos? in qTibstitm. .A, certaia '■'- : ' ; : f> atl ™' aa. area of; land, 40 acres of 'which'.:...: - ■ l !" I ':??,: an ' linimpro'ved ■ state,. oontainin«ft i;; r clumps of- bush'and tree'stumps. -'This ,]!«■ .--;: ;!: leases at. XI 10s.', of the ■' ''•• & property, which' is : under-the-control of the ' ; " : ' ; Public Trustee, and is in a,fair state of?culfr,' %<i vaiion throughout,, is leased at;only! 10s.-pei" '-"'■: J -: ! acre,-showing that tho'full value is not beiM^- ■■"& obtained .by., tho: Pubiib 1 . Trustee from ' tlfc lessees.; There are dosensof suchchses... LaMa :v . : -U havo be«n. leased:at, 105. ,nn, acre when' £1 could' ?■'-■:'"' be' had ,f or grazing'" alonei, thus I shomn'g' <-' • ' : -- : that the Maori: owners. '■ would bo'ibetter ; .off.. ',"?i'< and.', make . touch>'moro,. by'- being-, allowed'- to >" - : : v farmior .lease, their-,;own,lands; ,',-"■. .;-J- ''_] ;'; V '' ; - : ;i-;