NATIVE SETTLEMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21503, 29 May 1933, Page 11

NATIVE SETTLEMENT

PROGRESS IN NORTH SIR A. NGATA'S TOUR KEENNESS OF THE PEOPLE Encouraging signs of progress with native land settlement schemes in Nortli Auckland were found by the Minister of Native Affairs, Sir Apirana Ngata, on his recent visit, from which lie returned to Auckland on Saturday evening. The Minister, who spent about 10 days in the northern, districts, was accompanied by Lady Ngata, Mr. A. T. Carroll, supervisor of settlement schemes on the East Coast, and a delegation of surveyors and foremen in charge of schemes in the Rotorua, Whakatane and Ruatoki districts. The visit reciprocated one which northern Maori representatives paid to the Bay of Plenty last July, and its object was to exchange views and gather information about methods of land development, "One thing that impressed me very much was the keenness with •which the northern people have taken up the settlement schemes," said Sir Apirana. "It is quite true that many of them have been urged on by necessity, but they are certainly keen and are doing good work. Kaikohe Unemployed "We were all struck by the way in which they had kept costs down; most of them were working on a level of bare subsistence. The Ratana people, who used to be against tho movement, especially around Kaikohe, have changed their attitude, and are now favourable to it." The Minister added that about 80 per cent of tho relief workers in the Kaikohe district were Maoris, and if a settlement scheme could be properly established there the number of men on relief should be reduced by nearly two-thirds. The native land included a fairly large area of good volcanic flats, which could be turned into pasture after the loose scoria rock had been removed from tho surface. The party had first visited the Kaipara district and had then gone on to the Hobianga, Ahipara, Whangaroa and Bay of Islands districts. A large meeting was held at Kaikohe on Thursday evening and a number of matters was discussed witli Maoris concerned in present and projected schemes. A number of them came from long distances to the meeting.

Cream Grading Good The movement in the North dated from 1930-31, when the Bay of Plenty schemes also had been started. Maori farmers were now supplying 14 different dairy factories in North Auckland, and reports showed that their cream grading returns were well up to the standard set by their European neighbours. Some of the dairy companies were inclined to complain that the natives' arrangements were rather primitive, and that they did not have milking sheds with properly concreted floors, for example. His reply to this was that it was impossible to have everything at once, and so long as the grading was satisfactory the companies might very well be content for the present. Regarding the actual development-, the Minister said that while the Unemployment Board's subsidy made the schemes much easier to finance than those originally undertaken on the East Coast, it could not provide such necessities as grass seed and fencing material. Those were being procured out of the special fund. Stock was not a problem; it could be obtained cheaply, and the older settlers, who were now in their fourth season, had young animals of their own coming on. Tenure of Lands Consolidation of native land interests was making good progress, particularly in the Hokianga district; in the northern Hokia nga it was practically complete. Elsewhere delays were not being allowed to interfere greatly with the settlement schemes. Subdivisions had been made on a basis of valuation rather than area, using roads and natural features for boundaries as far as possible. This enabled fencing to be carried out. If adjustments were needed later, after more complete survey, they could be made in many instances by monetary payment. The valuation basis should satisfy the local authorities with regard to rating.