NATIVE SETTLEMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22018, 26 January 1935, Page 12

NATIVE SETTLEMENTS

PRIME MINISTER'S TOUR LAKE TAUPO AREAS VISITED REQUESTS BY DEPUTATIONS [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] • ItOTORUA, Friday Beginning Him tour of native land settlement schemes in conformity with his promise to tho assembled tribes at Rotorua at the time of the Duke of Gloucester's visit, the Prime Minister and Minister of Native Affairs, Mr. Forbes, travelled over 200 miles today. He viewed a large acreage of land and received many representations from Maoris.

Leaving the Chateau, National Park, after an early breakfast, Mr. Forbes was met near Lake ltotorua by Mr. J. S. Jessep, native land development commissioner for the East Coast, Mr. W. ,T. Scott, supervisor of schemes for Taupo and western Bay of Plenty, and leading natives.

After being shown two blocks of 5000 acres in the vicinity, formerly undor sheep and considered suitable for future development by native owners, he proceeded to Tokaanu and inspected the scheme which has been carried on there for nearly four years. It embraces 1500 acres of alluvial flats, of which 800 are fully developed, including 250 under swedes and carrying 1100 ewos and 200 dry cattle. Large Block Inspected From Tokaanu he was taken on a launch trjp for the purpose of viewing from tho water a large block of nearly 7000 acres behind the villages of Pukawa and Waihi, on the southwestern shore of the lake. This land had carried large flocks of sheep in earlier years, before th& native pasture gave way to fern. Landing at Waihi, Mr. Forbes was welcomed with a haka in front of the meeting house and speeches by Hoani Te Heuheu, paramount chief of Taupo, and others. The spokesman was Mr. J. A. Asher, who presented the requests agreed upon at a tribal meeting the previous night. In addition to asking that new blocks be included in the development as circumstances permitted, notably a sheep area on the face of Pihanga Mountain, and the Hautu and TaupoTauranga swamp lands on the western side, he broached the important ques> tion of tho Tongariro communal timber lands. N

Since the tenure of the Tongariro Timber Company was cancelled three years ago, said Mr. Asher, the native owners had been considering the matter and now asked that a special commission be set up to deal with claims which were holding up the partition of the undivided interest held by the Crown and themselves. The area consisted of 145,500 acres, of which the Crown held 35,000, and the capital value of the timber was estimated at £374,700. When the titles wero defined the natives could deal with the sawmillers, who kept approaching them. The royalties would provide a perpetual fund, which could be used for the development of the tribal lands for farming. Bequest Concerning Reserve A minor request of interest was that the Government provide £2OOO from the Native Purposes Fund for the erection and maintenance of a wharepuni at Waihi, for the accommodation of the Maori "king" Koroki, when ho made his intended yearly anniversary visits. Mr. Forbes made a sympathetic reply and assured the natives that he and the Government would do their utmost to assist them in the development of their lands, and that the Taupo schemes would get full consideration. In the afternoon Mr. Forbes motored to Waipahihi village, near Taupo, where Judge C. E. MacCormick, of -the Native Land Court, on behalf of the natives, urged that Tauhara Mountain, comprising 3500 acres, be made a reserve in perpetuity by special legislation. The Taupo Road Board made a similar request, and also renewed the request that the Government assist in providing a thermal bath in the township, at a total cost of approximately £4OOO. Mr. Forbes will visit the schemes around Rotorua to-morrow, and will leave for Whakatane on Sunday. He will reach Opotiki on Monday night, Ruatoki on Wednesday, and return to Rotorua on Wednesday night. He will arrive back in Wellington on Thursday.