MAORIS ON THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20465, 17 January 1930, Page 13

MAORIS ON THE LAND.

FARMS AND ROADING.'

BEARING ON DEVELOPMENT.

REQUESTS MADE TO MINISTER.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] RAWENE, Thursday. The important bearing that successful farming by Maori landowners will have on roading problems in districts where considerable areas are held by natives, was referred to by the Minister of Public Works, Hon. E. A. Ransom, at Herekino this morning, when replying to a deputation which asked for a subsidy of £I2OO for metalling four and a-half miles of road from Herekino to Whangape Inlet. The land bordering the road is practically all in native occupation.

The spokesman for the Maoris said they were prepared to find labour to enable the work to be done, on an equal basis. Mr. Ransom, who, before rpeeting the deputation, had motored over the road and become 1 bogged, to the Maoris' offer. He said he had been very gratified to see this native settlement, because it and others of its kind formed one of tbe best evidences that the roading problem of the North was going to be overcome. One of the Difficulties. One of the difficulties was that much Crown land was lying idle, and much native land was not biing fanned effectively, and was not contributing its fair share to the county revenues. He had seen that morning some very good farms which were being handled by Maoris. He had not been informed of the owners' position in regard to the payment of rates, but their labour, if given, would be valuable to the council as the equivalent of the rates. Improvement of their farms should be the first concern of the natives, and he urged that they could more profitably devote their time to increasing production, so that they could pay their rates, rather than give their time in free road work as an equivalent. The Maori viewpoint on the same sub ject was expressed by a deputation at Te Karnka, where, after a largo party of natives had greeted the Minister with a haka, an address was presented. This said that thanks should be conveyed to the Minister of Native Affairs, Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata, for the able manner in which he had been attending to the native people's interests. The majority of the most progressive native farmers of Waihou and Whakarapa had been materially assisted financially by the Tokerau Native Land Board's' loan scheme, and modern of farming were being carried out.

Financial Aid Needed. The natives were receiving valuable instruction from the Government agricultural expert, stated the address, and they were fully agreed that financial assistance was essential before they could progress. The president of the Tokerau Board had told them that the board had not funds available, therefore they wished Mr. Ransom to place this matter before the Prime Minister. Mr. Ransom said the Government recognised the need of 'the Maori fanners for finance on lines similar to the State advances. Sir Apirana Ngata was arranging with the Minister of Finance for such assistance to be rendered. He was not sure how far the project had advanced, but he believed that Sir Apirana was satisfied with the progress being made. The importance of instructing Maori farmers as well as Europeans in scientific farming methods was recognised, and it was hoped that members of the native race would receive the required education and be available for the task. The Minister added that he woulfJ be pleased to render every assistance he could in regard to the roading of native blocks.