THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1922. NATIVE LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18215, 7 October 1922, Page 8

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1922. NATIVE LANDS.

There is no short cut to the solution of the native land problem, which in many parts of the North Island is hampering progress, putting a most untimely brake upon production and embarrassing the finances of local bodies. But the report of the Native Department upon land matters affords some grounds for encouragement. During the year a total of 114,035 acres was purchased by the Crown, and 53,189 acres sold under the generous measuro of protection provided by the State to private persons. In the previous year the Crown's purchases amounted to only 56,595 acres, but other sales aggregated 91,518 acres. While the total area acquired is not much greater this year than last, it is a matter for satisfaction that the Crown's purchases should have been more than doubled. But this does nofc represent the full effect of f the year's operations. In the past, the area purchased by the Crown has included isolated blocks of the Urewera Country, but the Urewera Lands Act of 1921 gave authority for the consolidation of the Crown's interests amounting to 329,982 acres, and the issue of freehold titles to the natives for the residue. The locating of the Crown and native interests is now proceeding, and therefore it can be assumed' that the opening up of this vast region is almost within sight. Several; other consolidation schemes are ir,i progress in the east coast districts of the North Island where the Maoris already have had expeiience of the benefit of grouping scattered interests in, one compact block, and if, as the department hopes, other sections of the natives agree to the same coursfe being followed there is at least some prospect that the blight of taihoa will be lifted from the all-important preliminaries in connection with the settlement of native lands.

The report, which for the first time comes from a department in which the judicial and administrative sections have been combined under one head,- shows clearly the exact extent of the native estate. The area is 4,472,349 acres, against 4,639,573 acres at March 31, 1921, and 4,787,686 acres in 1920. It is most important tha!t there should be no doubt upon this point. The report of 1920 gave rise to a great deal of misunderstanding because it gave the impression to the casual reader and to many of the Maoris tihat less than 1,000,000 acres remained for the use of the native people. This was brought about by deducting the area on lease and classifying as barren over half-a-million acres of pumice land. That the pumice country is anything but barren has been clearly demonstrated by results obtained' around Rotorua and toward Taupo, and therefore it is no exaggeration to assert that each year will see the value of the native estate in the pumice region increase in value. Unfortunately the detailed tables have this year been eliminated from the report. Thus there is no information as to the area being farmed by Maoris and the area unoccupied. This information is of vital importance in viewing the native land problem in the right perspective, and should be made available. Last year's figures, which probably have nst undergone any serious alteration, showed that a total of 3,160,710 acres was held under lease from the natives, who occupied only an estimated area of 380,000 acres, while no less than 1,098,863 acres, including the unjaurchased portion of the Urewera. of 306,996 acres, was unoccupied. In view of such a position it is obviously of the highest importance that every effort should be made to expedite the purchase of idle land by the consolidation method. Even the figures relating to the leased land cannot be regarded with equanimity, for a great deal of this land is occupied only on paper, and much of it is not producing a tithe of what it might, owing to the financial inability of the lessees to develop and properly farm the blocks which cannot be reduced by subdivision. The paper occupancy represents a. particularly baneful class of speculation, and in view of the large area, which might experience such a fate, there appears to be every justification for the tightening up of the conditions governing the leases. It is difficult to see how native interests could be prejudiced by the elimination oi the speculator ! in leases.

Although it is generally realised that the native estate is too large ever to be satisfactorily used by the Maori people, it is the desire of the bulk of the European population that the Maoris should become

farmers. If they can develop a love for agricultural and pastoral pursuits and habits of industry it Mr ill be a happy augury for their future. In this connection the report under review contains information of a very encouraging kind. At March 31, 1921, the native-owned llocka totalled about 4(50,000, and according to the figures for the previous year Maoris possessed over 16,000 dairy cows and 43,000 other cattle. It is in the rich district north of Gisborne that Maori farming ha.s developed 'to the greatest extent;. In two counties last year 2215,000 sheep, or 34 per cent, of the total flocks, belonged to natives. The model settlement of Waiomatatini, on the banks of the Waipu River, is the centre of a community of Maori pastoralists who work on th 6 most modern lines, and the fact that they have now reached the stags where some of the young men are anxious to work individual holdings indicates the advance this tribe i; 5 making from the traditional system of communal ownership and 'community living. Can it bo hoped thai!; other communities will similarly benefit from the example of tho pakeha? Whether or not, there iii significance in the fact that during; the past year the sum held by Maori Land Boards on behalf of Maoris and invested with the native trustee for advancement to them for improving their holdings, was reduced from £544,441 to £502,731. The inference presents a very different picture from that of money squandered on motor-cars. It means that somewhere Maoris, instead of bartering away their heritage and living in idleness, are developing their land for their own good and the advantage of the country.