POLITICAL NOTES.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 1796, 17 May 1912, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

MR MACDONALD IN POVERTY BAY. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. Gisborne, May 17. The Hon. W. D. S. Macdonald, minister for Public works and Native Affairs, was entertained by the constituents of Te Ka-raka last evening, at a large and enthusiastic gathering. Speeches were deiivereel hy Sir James Carroll, the Mayor of Gisborne, and others. Mr Macdonald was presented with an illuminated adelress. Accompanied by Sir James Carroll, Mr Mac. elonald left for Wairoa this morning, for the opening of the Muhaka bridge. En route, Mr Macelonakl, in tlie course of an interview, announced that last year's operation in connection with transactions of the alienations of 'Native land showed great jn'o'gress, the figures being: Lands dealt with by way of lease 336,000 acres; dealt with by way of sale 319,867 purchased by the Crown 91,----744 acres. Probably 30,000 acres were purchased by the Crown Lands Department, and a further 100,000 acres 'under negotiations at March 31, are now practically completed, making a total for the year of approximately 800,000 acres. Mr Macdonald holds that the surplus land can be dealt with more on the line of Crown lands than is being done under the existing conditions. He is thoroughly investigating the working of the Native Department, and considers the land courts should complete their work in about three years from now.