NATIVE LANDS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 23, 28 January 1935, Page 10

NATIVE LANDS

PRIME MINISTER'S TOUR ROTORUA AREA (By Telecraph—Press Association.) WHAKATANE, January 37. Continuing his tour of the Native settlement schemes as Nativo Minister, the Et. Hon. G. W. Forbes, Prime Minister, spent Saturday in visiting schemes around .Kotoiua. These are about nine in number, including Horahora, where 35 families, including a number f rom Wairoa and Hawke's Bay, are settled in tiny cottages on 3000 acres, and at Tikitere, where the Waikato, East Coast, and local Natives have reclaimed 1800 acres from gorse and. scrub. ' Unfortunately, Sir Apirana- Ngata, who is in Kotorua, was unable to accompany Mr. Forbes, owing, to illness. At midday Mr. jForbcs visited Whakarewarewa, where he was given a ceremonial welcomej and paid respects to the memory of the late Chief Mita Taupopoki. Xddressing the Maoris, he said the ciief Mita. had done a fine service to his people by wise council and active assistance in land development. I In the afternoon hoi was welcomed with much enthusiasm liy a large gathcriug at Mourea, a -village between Lakes Rotom'a and! Rotoiti, where speakers assured him ol their people's keenness to push on tie development of their own lands and provide a future for their children. | Mr. Forbes, in his implies to both welcomes, expressed hia pleasure at the way in which the Miori people had supported Sir Apirana Ngata in- the fulfilment of his dream..He was satisfied from his earlier ajid present in«pections that the schemes which had been commenced were and that the Maori people wore doing their best in a determination toj see the thing through. ] Today Mr. Forbes continued his journey to Whakatarie, inspecting schemes near Lake Botbiti, Te Puke, Tauranga, and Maketu; {sailing at the Native villages at Hairiis and Makotu, where he received ceremonial welcomes, and reaching Whakatane, in the evening- I