“SQUATTING" ON GROWN LAND

Evening Star, Issue 22684, 25 June 1937, Page 4

“SQUATTING" ON GROWN LAND

NATIVE PETITION FDR PA AT DRAKE! REFUSED [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, June _ 24. A decision regarding the position of Alaoris living at a native village at Orakei has been reached by the Government, -which has now intimated to the Auckland City Council that it cannot see its way to grant the prayer of the Natives to return to them the land purchased by the Crown. The Government also undertakes to ascertain how many homes would be required elsewhere to house the Natives now squatting on Crown land at Orakei. Advice of the Government’s decision was received by the mayor (Sir Ernest Davis) and submitted to the City Council to-night. In this communication the Acting Alinister of Native Affairs (Mr Langstone) said that following the investigation into the best method of arriving at a settlement of the problem affecting Orakei Natives and the Crown’s purchases of lands at Oralkei, the Government had decided that it could not see its way to grant the petitions of the Natives that their papakainga and church site be returned to them. The Natives had also asked that an area of 40 acres at Orakei be returned to them for a papakainga for them and to enable a model pa to be erected, but tho Government had' also decided that this request could not be granted. Air Langstone said the Government had no wish to act harshly towards the Alaoris and their relatives who were at present occupying Crown areas at Orakei, and was prepared to give sympathetic consideration to the question of finding or providing other accommodation for the Alaoris, who. would thus be required to move from the Crown lands. Inquiries would be made as to how many homes would be required to house these Natives, and to find suitable areas of land elsewhere on which to erect dwellings. The Alinister also said the Government did not favour the project of the erection of a model pa at Orakei. While appreciating tho sentiment of the Natives in this respect it was felt that to warrant the erection of a model pa at Orakei there would need to be present some economic necessity for its location there. A careful scrutiny of the facts did not reveal any possibility of the Alaori residents at Orakei finding in tho area still owned by them an economic support capable of maintaining that standard of living which tho locality demanded. The council referred the matter to a committee.