MAORI LANDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14192, 15 October 1906, Page 8

MAORI LANDS.

WEED-GROWN LANDS TO BE . 'LEASED. : LAND BOARDS’ PO\\ 7 ERS < EXTENDED. ■ [Prom On* Correspondent.] ■ . h WELLINGTON, October 12. Several exceedingly important pro--1 isate which, if adopted by Parliament, “will have a far-reaching effect in promoting the settlement of Native lands, are made in the Government’s promised amendment of the Maori Land Settlement Act, which has been circulated. MAORI LAND BOARDS. Coupled with a proposal to increase the number of members comprising Maori Land Boards from three to four, are provisions enormously increasing the power of the Minister to vest in them for settlement any unproductive or weed-ridden Native land. UNOCCUPIED LAND TO BE LEASED. Thp Bill makes an important advance in the powers of the-Native Minister to open up land for settlement. Last year’s Act enables him to vest in the Maori Land Boards of the Tdkerau and Tairawhfti land districts such lands as in his. opinion'were not required, of were not suitable for occupation, by ' the 'Maori-owners. \This land could he held and administered by the Board for the benefit of the Maori owners. ‘ It could he leased for any term not exceeding fifty years. The new Act authorises the Minister to deal similarly with-'any wherever it is situated, if it is not required or suitable; for'occupation by the Maori owners. ; Formerly the land to be leased was ’classified into first-, second, third - or fourth-class’ land, a limitation being placed upon' the areas to be leased in any one block. A simpler and morp effective form of laying down a maxi-mum-holding is provided in the new Act, which days that the area shall not exceed £SOOO unimproved value in any block. ' A; SIXTY-SIX YEARS’ LEASE. The aim of the measure is apparently to-get as far as possible in line with the _ Government proposals as to the leasing of, Crown lands, for the term of Maori land leasee is to be extended from fifty to sixty-six years, and a clause expressly limits the area which ■ any .one person may hold to an unimproved value not exceeding £SOOO. This should prevent the dummyism alleged, to have flourished in connection with Native lands at present leased by Europeans in some district’s. Maori Land Boards are given power Ho approve‘any lease of Maori land, and if ..their-power of refusal is exercised, the persons- interested will have a right of ■ appeal*;-to- the Native Appellate Court. THE REMEDY FOR WEEDS. It has been a complaint by European ■ettlens’ that unused Maori lands adjoining their farms, have been a constant menace in the form of breeding grounds; for noxious weed®. By a- hold, - , stroke the new Act propose® to romovd - this grievance. It gives the Minister power, to declare that Maori lands which have not been properly cleared of noxious weeds are subject to the control of Maori Land Boards “as lands not required or not suitable for oooupat ion by the Maori owners.” The Board ; can then proceed to lease these areas. ■Another important proposal designed to facilitate the settlement of Native lands is the clause' giving power to determine any. existing leases which are • keeping Maori lauds locked up in large areas to the detriment of settlement. • ,|. - ■