NATIVES SELL LAND.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 July 1924, Page 4

NATIVES SELL LAND.

LARGE BLOCK AT TE TEKO. ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING. TIMBER AIILL PROPOSED. An important native timber land deal took place on Friday at Te Telco, Avhen, after a korero, the natives decided to sell Mataliina A No. 3 R block, comprising 9579 acres, to Mr. G. Syme junr., and G. Syme and Co., Ltd., of Hawera, at £4 per acre (reports the New Zealand Herald’s Whakatane correspondent). The purchase price amounts to £38,316, which will be distributed to the natn-es in due course. The block is about nine miles from a!? 6 Teko Hotel to the south of Mount Eldgeeumbe, and a valuable timber-milling industry, which should be of considerable-benefit to this district, will be brought into operation in the near future.

There Avas a large gathering of natives at Te Teko in connection with the deal and the proceedings at the meeting-house were marked by considerable animation. In the morning the natives considered an application by ivlessrs. Lockie Gannon and Alabin, who offered £3 12s 6d an acre for the block. By resolution this application was dismissed. In the aftemon the Syme’s Company application Avas considered. Uie offer of the company Avas £3 13s per acre, but this was amended to £4 per acre, the Avhole of the block, including the nmu bush and fern land One section of the natives, headed by George Powell, held out for a higher price, and wanted an adjournment of the proceedings. There was a great deal of speech-making in consequence, but as the afternoon wore on it was easily seen that the majority present were in favour of selling at £4 and the opposition visibly weakened. ’ A tumultuous scene occurred at the finish of the discussion, and the crowd inside the building danced a spirited haka ivhen it was announced that the majority were in favour of selling to Messrs. Syme. After the haka loud applause continued for some time. Then the was taken, and late in the statel the feSU was given as above