THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1895.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 3, Issue 149, 9 October 1895, Page 2

THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1895.

Some interesting information concern--ing the lands purchasod and leased from natives in this district is contained in a Parliamentary paper recently issued. The operations in which MrR. J. Gill, native land purchase agent, has been concerned during the past twelve months are fully set out and it may be a surprise to many of our readers to know that in round numbers 100,000 acres of land have been dealt with by that officer during the period named. The return is very explicit in every detail and for the sake of those of our readers who look upon anything in the shape of an official document with a feeling somewhat akin to aversion we make the following digest of the figures : In Part I, which deals with lands finally acquired by the Crown, we find that in the district which comprises Rotorua, Tfiupo, &c, 35,734 acres have been dealt with, of which 14,887 acres were negotiated during the last financial yoar, from Ist April 1891 to 3lst March 1895. With the exception of 116 acres at 5s per acre and 6,400 at 2s 6d, the whole of this land was purchased at 2s per acre, or for an aggregate sum of £1,509 8s 4d, of which £SBB 12s 7d was paid over during the last financial year and £ll2 198 lOd from Ist April to Ist June in the current year. Part 11, which deals with lands partially acquired in the same district, shows that out of a total area of 423,242 acres, 57,740 acres were acquired to 31st March 1894 and 98,183 during th 9 succeeding twelve months. Of this land a portion was purchased at a very high price, notably the blocks at Whakarewarewa, 215 acres there bringing£lo per acre, and the lands at To Tuporo near the old native school, where for 60 acres £3 16s per acre was paid. With the exception of 9 acres at Kavewa at £3 and 1 acre at Motuotau at £2 10s the whole of the remainder was obtained at from Is 6d to 7s 6d per acre. For this land a total amount of £32,044 16s lOd has been paid or

£18.715 7s 9il previous to 31st March 1394 and £10,020 3s Id since that date. To summarise this still further we find tiiiit during the twelve mouths proceeding Ist April last Judge Gill had completed the purchase of 113,070 acres in this district and had paid in cash for same £14,031 Is 6d. Since the passing of the Act in 1870, under which power was given to purchase native laud, the Government have acquired 5.958,415 acres in the North Island alone, and have under purchase and partially completed a further area of 2,030,199 acres. The total expenditure on this account, including purchase money, surveys, departmental charges and incidental expenses amount to £1,497,422 or an average of aliout 3s Hd per acre. Prom the foregoing figures and more especially those bearing on a comparatively recent period it will be seen that Judge Gill and those associated with him in the purchase of native land have no sinecure. The duties of a native land purchase agent demand unremitting attention, persistent application, no ordinary amount of diplomacy, and a clear insight into the peculiarities of the Maori nature.