SALE OF NATIVE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20601, 27 June 1930, Page 16

SALE OF NATIVE LAND.

30,000 ACRES NEAR TAUPO. FOREST COMPANY'S PURCHASE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] KOTORUA, Thursday. The Maori owners of the Tahorakuri block of about 35,000 acres, near Taupo, have agreed to sell about 30,000 acres at 30s an acre to the Perpetual Forests, Ltd. The application of thq, company for confirmation of the sale was recently heard at a sitting of the Native Land Court at Taupo. It is expected that the salo will bo completed in a few weeks. Mr. Tai Mitchell, a member of the Waiarihi Land Board, has been appointed by tho Government as commissioner for the district. Some of the Maoris said they did not know of tho appointment, which they disapproved of, and also of tho terms arranged by Mr. Mitchell. The terms aro half the money in cash and the balance in five years, at per cent, interest. A cheque for £22,500 was available, but an adjournment was sought until the return from Rarotonga of Mr. Mitchell.

Mr. A. G. Holland, Judge of tho Native Land Court and president of .the Waiarihi Land Board, told tho Maoris that every safeguard had beon provided and that it was in their interests that timo should be given for paying the balance of the money. He had no power to tho arrangement. If the Maoris wished it to be changed, they would have to apply to the Supreme Court.