THE PARLIAMENTARY PARTI.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14432, 24 July 1907, Page 3

THE PARLIAMENTARY PARTI.

WAIMARINO FOREST. [Fhom Ouk Correspondent.] AUCKLAND, July 23. Th© members of the Parliamentary party which journeyed through by the Alain Trunk route, all expressed surprise at the vast extent and the fertile nature of the country opened up. A number of southern members admitted that they had never dreamed that the fiouth of Auckland was such a great territory with such vast resources for carrying a large population in the future. The question of the Maori ownership of the land and timber areas was closely inquired into, and the Hon T. K. Macdonalcl, who was more 'familiar with the country than any of the others, said jn an interview that for, many years past the extent and the value oi the Waimarino Forest were not known, and for the past twenty-two-years the Government had never realised the true value of that great belt of country. Out of th© 850,000 acres in the Waimarino County, fully one-third was excellent milling bueh. Practically speaking, there were 300,000 acres available for milling in the Waimarino County, the bulk of which belonged to the Maoris, and had been unoccupied for all these years. It was practically valueless to the Maoris, and unknown, except to a few Europeans. The Maoris were now beginning to lease- the land to sawmillero at rates of which the 2600 acres just leased might be taken as an example. . On a forty-two years' loaso one shilling and sixpence per aero was to be paid for the first' ten years, two shillings an acre for the next eleven years, and a rental of not less than o per cent of the Government valuation, for the last twenty-one years. It was certain that the Government valuation would not be less than £4 per aero, and might be nearer £lO. That would represent 4s per acre for the last twenty-one years, in addition to the rental, which would amount to £15,580 for the period. The eawmiller had to pay the Maoris £3 per aero for the right to mill every acre that was cleared of milling bush. When one reflected that the value of this land prior to the construction of the railway was absolutely nil, one realised what an enormous benefit had been conferred upon the Maoris. Competent authorities at Raetihi had informed him that the value of the milling bu6h to the Maoris was £5,000,000, and that up till now they had nob paid one single penny of taxation on the land held by them in the Waimarino County. The county could not collect the taxes which it had imposed upon the Maori land, and these taxes represented rather more than one-third of the county's revenue. Tne whole of the Waimarino Forest could have been purchased by Sir Harry Atkiniyon's Government twenty years ago for Is to 2s per acre. The Government was urged to do this before any steps were taken to build the Main Trunk Railway, and it was pointed out that the opening up of this great forest area meant that the leasing of it to Eawmillers would pay the interest on the £3,000,000, which might be expended on railways and roads throughout the district, so that when the sawmillers had finished with it, the colony would still possess tho estate, which would bo worth then from £5,000,000 to £10,000,000 sterling. The question of the taxation of the 6,000,000 of land at present held' by tho Maori people, and the necessity of compelling the Maoris to pay for unoccupied and unimproved land, whether they are residing on it or not, is of supreme importance, continued Mr Macdonald. No appreciation of industries among the Maori people would take place until they had to face the question of finding money to pay the ordinary land taxation of the country, and the taxes on the land they held. In fact, in hLs judgment, the land legislation of this country would never be perfect until it was provided by the State that any man, whether he might bo Maori or European, who failed to beneficially occupy and improve the land held by him in areas of over 10,000 acres,' should be liable to be dispossessed of it by the State at the land tax valuation. Continuing, Mr Macdonald said that the journey throughout had been an extremely pleasant one and a revelation to tho party of the wealth which would flow from the settlement and development of that great belt of country. The trade of tho country between Auckland and Horopiti would probably go to Auckland, and

from Horopiti and Ilaetiti to Wellington, if the merchants of the latter city were progressive enough. That it would add to the business returns of both cities was, of course, undoubted.