THE OHOUTU BLOCK.

Jubilee : Te Tiupiri, Volume 1, Issue 14, 5 April 1898, Page 5

THE OHOUTU BLOCK.

THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE AND THE NATIVE OWNERS.

For some time past a section of the native owners of the Ohoutu Block on the Wanganui river have been anxious to prevent the improvident members of their tribe from selling their shares in the land, as it was the only property of that description they possessed, and if they parted with it they would be landess. Last session they approached the Public Trustee (Mr J. C. Martin), on the subject. and after consultation with them he refused to have anything to do with it unless the land was vested in him on somewhat similar lines to the West Coast settlement reserves. In a subsequent interview the Public Trustee explained the working of the Act to the natives, and, being of opinion that such a system of vesting would prove beneficial, they asked him to request the Government to introduce a Bill for that purpose. This, however, the Public Trustee would not consent to do, seeing that the first question the Government would ask him would be if all the owners were at one on the question, and he could not give them an answer in the affirmative. He decided, instead, to ask the Government to stop the purchase of any land m the Block until next session of Parliament, and, in the meaniime, that he would pav a visit to Wanganui, meet the owners of "the Block on the ground, and talk the matter over, with a view to deciding on the most suitable course to adopt. Accordingly Mr Martin recently, in fulfilment of his promise, met the natives, explained the working of the Coast Settlement Reserves Act, and afiei due consideration they expressed themselves as being anxious to have their land brought under a similar system. For that purpose they requested the Public Trustee to ask the Government to introduce a measure '"to Parliament next session, so that they wll have an opportunity of putting their views on the matter before the legislators, either t irough their representatives in the House or e fore the Native Affairs Committee if the

Bill should be referred to it. The Public rustee has put the matter before the Government, who have requested him to draft a Bill, and they will give it their consideration in' conjunction with other native measures. Should the Bill become law it will be the duty o. the Public Trustee to have the Block which is estimated to contain about 90,000 a cres, surveyed, roaded and cut up into suitably sized areas, and let to suitable tenants,and the rents, less charges for expenses and advances, paid to the native owners.