NATIVE LAND COMMISSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20255, 15 May 1929, Page 14

NATIVE LAND COMMISSION.

ACQUISITION OF FREEHOLD.

STATE LOANS SUGGESTED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TE KUITI, Tuesday. In appearing for a client before the Native Land Leases Commission to-day Mr. W. J. Broadfoot urged that in the public interest some system should be devised under which- leases of Maoriowned land should be placed as nearly as possible on all lours with Crown leaseholds, and with better facilities than at present for the lessees to acquire the freehold. He asked the commission to recommend to the Government that it should, through its present financial machinery, find the capital which would enable the lessees to acquire their titles, or purchase the native-owned blocks, where the natives were willing to sell and dispose of them to the settlers under the deferred payment system. The chairman of the commission, Judge MacCormick, said the purchase of nativo land was a matter for the Minister of Finance. Quite a fair proportion of the applicants who had appeared before the commission had suggested a similar solution of their difficulties, but it was a question, however, of how much money the Government had for such a purpose.

Mr. Broadfoot said ho did not believe there would be any difficulty as regards finance. He had discussed the question with tho Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, and the Minister of Lands, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, and he did not think finance would stop the settlement of the land. A recommendation from the commission, pointing out that lessees of native land were entitled to as much assistance as ordinary land-hungry people, would weigh very materially with the Minister of Lands. He wanted to establish tho principle that where settlers proved themselves worthy of tho freehold th'cy should be helped to get it. The discussion led to no conclusion, but it is a factor in the problems for which the commission is seeking to find a solution. It has been arranged that the con.mission shall sit at Taumarunui on Tuesday next, and at Otorohanga on May 28. >