CONFISCATED LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20259, 20 May 1929, Page 13

CONFISCATED LANDS.

MAORIS IN TARANAKI.

£SOOO A YEAR COMPENSATION.

DISSATISFACTION WITH OFFER. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] NEW PLYMOUTH, Sunday. The proposal of the Government to pay £SOOO a year to the Taranald natives as compensation for lands confiscated since the Maori War was the subject of a further conference at Waitara at the week-end. Dissatisfaction with the offer has been expressed by a number of the natives.

The' Minister of Native Affairs, Sir Apirana Ngata, attended the conference and strongly urged the Maoris to accept the offer of £SOOO a year in perpetuity in the spirit of conciliation in which it was tendered. However, he said the Government would consider any further suggestions they had to make. Sir Apirana said the Taranaki natives were mot e fortunate than those of the Waihato, who had been offered only £3OOO a year.

A compl lint was made by a native deputation to the Minister that the Taranaki Maoris were not receiving fair treatment in comparison with other provinces with regard to assistance, particularly in regard to the education of young Maoris from the fund of £IOO,OOO, derived chiefly from rents, and administered by the Maori Purposes Board. In pointing out that the disposal of the fund was entirely in the hands of the board, Sir Apirana promised to sympathetically consider the matter.