UREWERA TITLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17894, 23 September 1921, Page 6

UREWERA TITLES.

WORK OF , CONSOLIDATION, • ' "• 'tit " " '' 5 SCHEME NOW COMPLETED.

FORESTS AND WATERSHEDS. £bt telegraph. — special reporter.] WELLINGTON. 'Thursday. Interviewed to-day, the; Hon. Q. Coates, Acting-Minister for Native Affairs, referred to the Urewera Country, "The scheme for the consolidation of the interests of the Crown and of the native nonsellers in the TJrewera lands was completed to-day," he said, "when the Government appro\«fcd arrangements regarding the acquisition of the Waikaremoana block for forestry and water conservation purposes. The last-named transaction is a fitting end to the negotiations which commenced at Buatoki on August 1 last. The negotiations were authorised by the Hon, D. H. Guthrie as Minister for Lands, and myself as Native Minis tar, after a conference with the natives at Ruatoki at the end of May last. There is much detail work yet to be done to give effect to the scheme ? but the Crown knows definitely where it may commence operations. About 100,(XX) acres lying between the Waimana and Whakatane Valleys are clear of native int-erests, and can be taken ln hand immediately as being suitable for settlement. In the blocks adjoining this area the relative interests of'the Crown and natives have been defined, but a topographical survey and inspection is necessary before actual location. The proportion of this land suitable for settlement has yet to be determined, and full investigation will have to be made by officers of the Lands and Forestry Departments before any settlement schema is deter-' mined on. |

Large Forest Are*. The valuable Tewhaiti timber area is practically all included in the Crown award, and surveys only are necessary to locate the native sections in that block. Along the Whakatane Valley, north of Huatanuna, there are complicated problems to be dealt with after inspection and topographical survey. A large forest area represents much of the Crown award in too south and west, and advantage was t&kan of this to make an exchange for 29,000 acres of the Waikaremoana Block, where the forest is required chiefly for water conservation purposes. "The officers who have been carrying out the arrangements with the native owners after a visit to Wairoa (Hawke'B 3ay) reduced the terms for the acquisition of the balance of the Waikaremoana Block, amounting to 44,000 acres, to a business basis, subject to a small reserve on the lake foreshore for the resident native owners, A price has been agreed upon for this area, and all but a small proportion required for the acquisition of other lands for the native owners will be paid in debentures. The Waikaremoana ownera will receive a considerable annual incomo, and the State will have control of the forest which protects the water supply of the hydro-electric scheme.

Natives Fully Protected. "The Government is well satisfied with the result of the Urewera negotiations. The native interest has been fully conserved. Certain blocks have been set aside for them, and exchanges have been iJjeted among themselves and with the Grown, resulting in the surrender of all the old titles and the substitution of land transfer t-itles for defined sections. "The tribal holdings are gone, and will be replaced by family allotments. Where formerly natives held in common with others in say 20 blocks, no family now holds in more than three at the most. From being the most backward the Ure--wera titles will be among the most advanced native titles in the Dominion. "Legislation is required to validate the arrangements arrived at, and special officers will be appointed to carry out the details of the scheme, especially the definition of the interests of the native sections.' 1