NATIVE LANDS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 15 October 1924, Page 5

NATIVE LANDS.

LENDING TO MAORIS. TRUSTEE’S POWERS INCREASED (By Telegraph.—Special to Star). WELLINGTON, Oct. 15. An amendment to the Native Trustee Act, introduced to-day, will give greater power to this official to lend money to natives by way of • chattel security, or assignment of rent, the rate *of interest to be fixed according to the rate then chargeable on the security of first mortgage of native land. The limitation of area provisions are not to apply to any native reserves administered by the Native Trustee, and the Bill also provides that the trustee, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the statutes relating to native reserves fay, with the consent of the Native Minister, sell a native reserve if he is satisfied that it cannot he leased to. advantage. A special provision is made regarding the distribution of annual rents from lands in Wellington and Nelson districts known as the New Zealand Company’s Reserve. The trustee is empowered to distribute three-fourths of the revenue to the beneficial owners, and to apply the remaining fourth towards the physical, moral, social and pecuniary benefit of natives and their children individually, or collectively, and for the .relief of the poor or distressed.