NATIVE LANDS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 July 1907, Page 3

NATIVE LANDS.

THE COMMISSIONERS’ REPORT.^ MANY IMPORTANT CHANGES ADVOCATED. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, This Day. The Native Land Commissioners’ re ports were laid on the table of the Housi to-day. In addition to detailed report; .(in lands in Wanganui and the King Conn try districts, there is a general one. deal ing with interim,reports as a. whole, whici contain tho following recommendations 1. That the purchase of Native lands bj the Crown under the present system b( discontinued. 2. That alienation by direct negotiation between owners and private individual: be prohibited (in eacli case to be made for dealings already pending). 3. Farther alienations be through the board as agent for owners, or,in the case of lands vested in it, as registered owners of such lands.

I 4. As to Maori settlement of lands sot ! apart for Maori occupation and fanning, • that powers he given to the board to regulate flio use of these areas. 5. Boards to have special powers as to . timber, flax and minerals. 6. The board may offer lands after - a . rough survey, indicating tho allotment. ■ Arterial roads may be laid out and formed where absolutely necessary before selection, the cost of reading and survey to lie loaded on the section. 7. Boards to be constituted as at present, hut wc think that presidents should , be drawn from men experienced in cutting ■ up and letting of lands, and should b‘> Government officers paid by the Government; travelling allowances'to lie a charge on revenue from the land. Each board to have .a competent accountant as clerk and receiver. 8. Tho Governor-iivConrtcil may exempt lands from tho operation of the above proposals on condition that the land so exempted shall lie sold or leased at auction. Exemption may be made in favour of the owner, who is considered able to manage ids own affairs. 9. That the jurisdiction of the Land Court lie limited as to land administered by the Board in the matter of partitions i but not in regard to succession, testamsn. ■ tary disposition, ascertainment of owners, or beneficiaries and' adjustment of disputed tribal boundaries. The Court may partition on the application tif the Board. 10. The law requires an amendment to permit of exchanges on a largo scale so as to secure consolidation of individual and family holdings. I There are a number of specific recommendations. These are concerned with indivLlgal blocks. Stress is laid on the

necessity for expedition in surveys, o native lanrjs, which is commended to the earnest attention of the' Government, nhc Parliament. ~ The following is the area so far Invest! gated and reported on by tho --Gbmmission : —Hawkes Bay—For Maori occupa tion and farming, 75,003 acres; for leasing, 14,827; for sale, 2300. Wanganui— For Maoris 49,964; for leasing 92,443. King Country—For Maoris 92,148, leasing 163,769, sale 34,522, total 526,977. Still tc bo dealt with—Wanganui 90,485,. Kin; Country 559,290. The Commissioners say that if the Maori is. to become an industrious citizen, steps will have to be taken to educate him differently. They consider two thing; necessary—first, primary education should have an agricultural basis, and, secondly, guidance and leadership should ho pro vided by the State. It is required in primary schools and should he extended in secondary schools, which persist in maintaining ordinary grammar school course is not adapted to the present needs cl the Maori people. The Commissioners also allude to the evils of alcoholism and tohungaism, which require combating. In conclusion, they say the Arawa’s, Ngapuhis and loading men of Poverty Bay and East Coast have pressed the Commission to visit them, and the Maoris ir the North Island generally are anxious that the Commissioners should hold a detailed inquiry in to their lands. The Commissioners arc not yet in a position to make definite recommendations as to rating taxation and reforms in the Native Land Court, procedure and administration.