NATIVES SELL LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18760, 14 July 1924, Page 8

NATIVES SELL LAND.

LARGE BLOCK AT TE TEKO. ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING. TIMBER MILL PROPOSED, [*BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WHAKATANE. Sfctardw. An important native timber land deal took place yesterday at Te Teko, when, after a kororo, the natives decided to sell Matahina A No. 3 B block, comprising 9579 acres, to Mr. G. Byrne, jun., and G. Syme and Co., Ltd., of Hawara, at £4 per acre. The purchase price amounts to £38,316, which will be distributed to the natives in due course. The block is about nine miles from the Te Teko Hotel to the south of Mount Edgecombe, and a valuable timber-milling industry, which should be of considerable benefit to this district, will be brought into operation in the near future. There was a large gathering of natives at Te Teko in connection with the deal, and the proceedings at the meetinghouse were marked y by considerable animation. In the morning the natives considered an application by Messrs. Lockie Gannon and Mabin, who offered £3 lZs 6d an acre for the block. By resolution this application was • dismissed. In the afternoon the Syme's Company application was considered. The offer of the company was £3 13s per acre, but this was amended to £4 per acre, the "whole of the block, including the rimu bush and fern land. One section of the natives, headed by George Powell, held out for a higher price, and wanted an adjournment of the proceedings. There was a great deal of speech-making in consequence, but as the afternoon wore on it was easily seen th&t the majority present were in favour of selling at £4, and the opposition visibly weakened. , A tumultuous scene occurred at the finish of the discussion, and the crowd inside the building danced a spirited haka when it was announced that the majority were in favour of selling to Messrs. Syme. After the haka loud applause continued for some time. Then the ballot was taken, and late in the night the result was given as above stated.