NATIVE RIGHTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 25 March 1922, Page 5

NATIVE RIGHTS.

4 . • CLAIMS BY ARAWA TRIBE.

(BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION ') ! . WELLINGTON, March 24.; 1 An important conference was held at Parliament Buildings to-day in connec- - tion with the claims of the Arawa tribe to the lakes of the Rotorua hot lakes district to certain, fishing and other rights. ' Sir Francis Bell, AttorneyiGeneral, • has been dealing with this subject for some considerable time past. During his recent visit to the district he met various representatives of the natives. < 1 At the conference to-day the Prime ' Minister and Sir Francis Bell represented the Government. The repre- j sentatatives of the Maoris were the ' Hon. A. T. Ngata, M.P., Mr F. Earle, ( K.C., and Mr R. L. Levin. It is understood that an agreement in regard to this long-standing dispute ' ! was arrived at. The reporters were informed thai the settlement was one ' that should prove. satisfactory to both the Crown and the natives, but the detailed terms of the settlement are not j yet available for publication.