ORAKKI ESTATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15718, 19 September 1914, Page 9

ORAKKI ESTATE.

GOVERNMENTS PURCHASE.

ABOUT £100.000 EXPENDED.

fill TELEGRAPH- - SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. ]

Wellington, Friday. A qxf.stiOn in regard to the stage reached in the acquisition of the Orakei Estate from the Maoris by the Government, was asked in the House this evening by Sir James Carroll. Ho wished to know how far the negotiations had proceeded, and what portion of the purchase money would be available to the native owners.

The Prime Minister said that matters in connection with the purchase of the property had advanced considerably, but ho did not know whether they could go much further at present, as there was no desire to interfere with the native reserve, which, it was believed, had been declared inalienable. The Government had purchased the native interests, and also the European leasehold interests, in about 500 acres of the laud, and the expenditure up to the present was about £100,000 for the two interests- What had been done had been approved by the Maori Land Board. Prior to the negotiations being opened by the Government, negotiations had been going on between the native owners and private speculators. When the matter of theso proceedings came before tho Maori Land Board tho chairman, A Br. W. llinnie, ruled that the price offered by the private speculators was not sufficient. Tho Government had paid what was regarded as a fair price for the property, and had been as careful as possible to see that the money that was handed over to tho natives was wisely expended. There had been one or two instances of extravagance, but those were unavoidable-

Sir James Carroll : What proportion has been handed to the natives?

Mr. Massey ; I cannot say, exactly, in tho absence of the Minister for Native Affairs.