NATIVE LANDS QUESTION

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 179, 5 August 1909, Page 2

NATIVE LANDS QUESTION

Conference at Otorohanga. A conference of the leading Natives of Ngatimaniapoto tribe was held at Otorohanga on Monday and Tuesday last to discuss various matters concerning the administration of Native lands in the distirct. The Hon. Jas. Carroll was present; also Wi Pere and Dr Buck, M .P. Various speakers, chief among whom were Messrs John Ormsby and Pepene Eketone, pointpd out the hardships which existed under Clause 11 of the Native Land Administration Act of 1907, which decreed that half of the surplus land must be leased and half offered for sale. They pointed out that some hapus were desirous of selling, others of leasing only, and that, while an enforced sale was undesiralbe in some cases, the thing would right itself in the end, and in the aggregate the spirit of the Act would be complied with. They also referred to the question of taxation and said the Natives were quite willing to pay rates provided they were placed on an equality with Europeans regarding advances to settlers and other facilities for working their land. Objection was taken to contributing to road and sanitary works in various townships unless power were given to load the land with'the cost of improvements. It was pointed out the sections were taken up by Europeans in an unimproved state and rents only paid on that basis, so that it would be unfair to compel Maoris to pay rates unless they were compensated in the way of increased rents. Mr Carroll, in reply, said he recognised that Section 11, which had been referred to, was not only unfair, but unworkable. He would endeavour to have necessary amendments made, as be appreciated the Maori argument that in the aggregate the spirit of the Act would be complied with. The time had arrived when Natives must be prepared to pay a fair share of taxation personally, and it was immaterial to him whether the Natives sold or worked the land so long as it was uti Used in such a manner that would contribute to the cost of State Administration. The Government were endeavouring to simplify titles, in order that land might be accepted as security for advances to assist settlement, i The question of rating in townships ! required a great deal of consideration. He thought the Natives should be prepared to pay at least half the cost of administration, and pointed out that they would be recouped for this expenditure by increased revenue when leases expired at the end of 21 years.