HAMPERING PROGRESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15657, 10 July 1914, Page 8

HAMPERING PROGRESS.

NATIVE LAND DEALINGS.

THE TITLE DIFFICULTY.

[BY TELEGitAI'H.— CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Thursday. In referring to native land matters in Parliament to-night Mr. C. K. Wilson (Taumarunui) stated that during the Liberal regime transactions had been sanctioned by native land boards allowing people to acquire areas of land four times as great as the law allowed.

Mr. W! D. S. Mac Donald (Bay of Plenty): That is not correct.

Mr. Wilson said that if an inquiry- were made into dealings in native lands during the three years before the present Government came into office the revelations would bo surprising. Land had been purchased in some cases through the native land boards, and within twenty-four hours the purchasers had eold again at prices ranging up to £2 5s an aero for goodwill. They had been told about the present Government robbing the natives of their lands, but what the Government had done was to put a stop to the practice of the speculators. , The Government had taken the power away from the private speculators, and had taken to itself the preemptive right of purchase to which it was entitled under the Treaty of Waitangi. The present Government would do every justice to the Maoris, but the country would not go back to the "taihoa" policy. He mentioned a place on the Main Trunk line where level land was wanted for township purposes, but where the native owners were asking £200 an acre. That price wtmld willingly be paid if a good title could be obtained, but here there was the usual difficulty. This was what blocked progress.