NATIVE LANDS COMMISSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13493, 21 May 1907, Page 6

NATIVE LANDS COMMISSION.

THE KING COUNTRY

SITTINGS.

INTERVIEW WITH SIR ROBERT ~ ' , STOUT. ' " \ Sir Robert Stout (Chief Justice), chairman of the Native Lands Commission, is at present spending a day or two in Auckland prior to the opening of the sittings of the Commission in the King Country. Mr. A. T. Ngata, M.H.R., the other member of the Commission, has been detained at Gisborne, owing to the s.s. Victoria hav-. ing been unable to work that, port on Saturday last, but he is expected to arrive on Thursday. Meanwhile Sir Robert Stout will proceed to Te Kuiti (leaving by to-morrow's express), and will open the sittings on Thursday. The business at the Te Kuiti sittings will comprise that connected with the native lands of the King Country, proper. A great deal of the preparatory work' in connection with these lands has already been carried out by Mr. Ngata and Mr. lA. L. D., Eraser, M.H.R. , and the business will thus be materially facilitated. A | large area of —probably half a million acreshas to come; under review, but it is expected that the sittings will be completed in about ten days. It may not be possible for the Commission to deal with the Kawhia lands at "these sittings, but these will receive attention later on. The next sittings, after those at Te Kuiti, may be held at Gisborne. It is probable that later on a sitting will bo held at Auckland. Questioned by a Herald representative yesterday regarding the probable effect of the Commission's labour in rospect to the settlement of the native lands, Sir Robert Stout said—"There is no doubt that the lands will be settled, but it, will, of course, take a little time. People must not be impatient and expect everything all at once." ' . . . ' ..- ■ " The East Coast natives are all right," said Sir Robert, on the question of the inclihation of the Maoris towards ■ farming pursuits being mentioned. "In the Mohaka, Nuhaka, and other districts they are doing very well both in dairying and in sheepfarming. The Wanganui natives are not so good in this respect, as they have not had the same experience. As to the natives in the Auckland district I cannot, of course, say : anything- about ; them until I have had an opportunity of seeing what I they are like." ' > The work of the Commission, it was added by Sir Robert, will necessarily last some time. "Only the fringe of the sub* ject," he said, "has,yet been touched. Before we meet the natives at all there is a great deal to be done in regard to the preparation of plans of the various blocks affected." ' .

The report of the Commission on the East Coast lands dealt with has already been published, and that dealing with the Wanganui areas will be available shortly. It is expected that the report on the King Country lands will be prepared before the opening of Parliament.