EVENING POST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13673, 14 February 1908, Page 7

EVENING POST.

It was inevitable that in his speech at Auckland' the Premier should have a good deal to say upon the land question, hut about the greater part of it there was nothing particularly novel or interesting. VY ith regard to native land, however, he made an announcement which is good news for everybody, and was naturally hailed with special satisfaction in the Northern city. The Native Land Commission is evidently determined to maintain its reputation for despatch and a new report, affecting about 380,000 acres of land in Waiapu County, is already in the hands of the Government, while other large areas in Cook County and the Eotorua district will be reported on next month. It is eminently gratifying to find that ibe Commission continues to make such rapid progress and to set aside such large areas for European settlement. In round numbers three-quarters of a million of acres had been finally dealt with by the Commissioners, and of these over 300,000 acres were recommended for sale or lease ■to Europeans. As there are, according to the Premier's figures, from four to five million acres of workable native land to be dealt with altogether, there, should be close on two million acres thrown open for European settlement as the result of the Commission's labours. This will supply a splendid stimulus indeed, to the development of the North Island, where the area or Crown lands available for settlement has for some time been rapidly diminishing. With regard to the ordinary land administration, the Prime Minister made one statement of great importance. .At Ohakune, the Minister for Lands, in acceding to the .request of the settlers that the Crown lands in that district should be leased and not sold, was warmly applauded for adding that they wouid be properly roaded first. A vast amount of cruel suffering would have been avoided if this policy had been followed in the past. To remedy the evil, the Government proposes that, in addition to the sums to be devoted to what the Prime Minister describes as. ordinary loading purposes, a special graat of £200,000 a year should be made for the benefit of districts in special need. That adequate loading should precede leasing, and should be charged upon the lands that profit by it, is a principle which should be established as fundamental and unalterable. The Minister for Lands is evidently of this opinion, audit is time that he or the Prime Minister . made some authoritative declaration on the subject.