SOUTH ISLAND MAORIS

Evening Star, Issue 22805, 13 November 1937, Page 22

SOUTH ISLAND MAORIS

NGAITAHU TRIBE'S CLAIM SALE OF NATIVE LAND RESERVES [Feb United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, November 13. The Government has agreed to receive three members of the Ngaitahu tribe from the South Island to discuss the claim which the tribe has been pressing for many years for compensation arising from the sale of Native land reserves. An announcement to this effect was made by Mr Tirikatene, M.P. for Southern Maori, who- said that negotiations would take place with the Government at' the end of the session. Mr Tirikatene explained that the Ngaitahu tribe’s claim involved 12} million acres of land, and affected many descendants, of the tribe in the South Island, particularly many living in Canterbury; and Southland, A Boyal Commission had investigated the claim in 1920, and, basing their assessment on a standard of }d an acre, had. recommended making £354,000 as payment. In 1935 the then Government made an offer of £IOO,OOO as final settlement .of 1 the claim. That offer had not been accepted by the members of the Ngaitahu Trust Board, nor by Mr Tirikatene himself as one of the negotiators. This grievance had received very little consideration during the last 99 years, Mr Tirikatene added. It was a genuine claim, and time alone could not wipe it out.