ADMINISTRATION OF CONFISCATED LANDS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 120, 2 August 1873, Page 8

ADMINISTRATION OF CONFISCATED LANDS.

The following is the text of a memorandum forwarded by the members for the province of Taranaki to the Government on the subject of the future administration of the confiscated lands within the boundaries of that province : The extent of land confiscated in the province of Taranaki under the New Zealand Settlement Act, 1865, and subsequent Amendment Act, appears by a return laid before the House in September, 1871, to have been estimated at 1,034,000 acres. Of this quantity 80,000 acres were surveyed and allotted to military settlers, 147,000 acres abandoned to friendly tribes and reserved for the use of natives, 3000 acres were sold by the General Government, leaving a balance to be dealt with of about 700,000 acres.

Where the land has been surveyed and- the greater portion occupied by military settlers, the natives lately in arms against the Government have generally submitted to the confiscation. Where survey and occupation has not been enforced the land may be considered for all practical purposes to be in the hands and occupation of the late native owners, and peaceable possession of it can only be obtained by the Government purchasing their alleged right in the same manner in whieh other native lands are purchased. In support of this view of the position of these lands the late purchases in the province at Ngatimaru and Puketapu are instances, for although these lands are within the confiscated boundary, the negooiations for their purchase have been carried on as if no such confiscation had taken place. The great bulk of these lands are covered with dense forest, and are inaccessible for want of roads.

There is, it is true, a considerable extent of open land between Tangatara and the Waingongon river, and also inland of Haivera and Waihi, available for agricultural and pastoral purposes, but it is only the latter which can at present be dealt with. As the former are still held by the natives, and cannot be occupied until purchased in the usual way aud at a considerable price. As a general rule, it is only the;open lands on the coast which would be immediately saleable at anything like their value ; it is therefore obvious that the bulk of the net proceeds derived from the sale of the open land should be devoted to opening up the inaccessible forest lands, otherwise the land revenue will gradually cease, and the ability of the administrators of the waste lauds to aid in developing the country and attracting population to the soil will decrease in a proportionate ratio. It is therefore desirable that the administration of those lands whose peaceable possession is secured by purchase or otherwise by the General Government should vest in the Provincial authorities, and I think satisfactory reasons can be given for such a course. In the first place, the Provincial Government has a closer and keener interest in getting the waste lands within its boundaries occupied, and would therefore devote more time, thought, and energy to the work than would be possible for the General Government in the midst of the vast transactions in which it is engaged for colonial purposes. The Provincial Government, having also a more intimat6 knowledge of the

resources and requirements of the province, could utilise the means placed at its disposal, by the sale of the waste lands, to better advantage, —and, being compelled to keep a survey staff, could perform tho work preliminary to a sale with greater economy to the colony than if two survey staffs were maintained as is done at the present time. It is also evident that all grievances in connection with the administration could be more speedily inquired into and redressed by local authority than it could possibly be by the minister in whose department the administration of the lands is vested, of whose official work it only formed a part.

The administration of the waste lands within a province is, generally speaking, one of its chief functions ; and it is an anomaly that two Governments should, with separate officers, perform duties of a similar character within tlie same province. It is also recognised that the administration of waste lands carries with it certain duties and responsibilities, and it is questionable if the General Government can consistently undertake those duties within a province, nor can it, without injustice to the people of the province, retain the land revenue, and allow the province to provide for those duties necessary to the good government of its inhabitants out of its limited revenue. With the view therefore of placing the administration of these lands on a proper footing, we venture to submit the following proposal for the consideration of the Government, viz : 1. That the administration of such portions of the confiscated lands which, in the opinion of the Government, can be peaceably occupied shall, from the end of the present financial year, vest in the Provincial Government of Taranaki, to be administered by a board, con sisting of the Superintendent of the Province, Crown Lands Commissioner, and two other members—one to be appointed by the Superintendent and the other by the Governor — under such rules and regulations as may be recommended by the Board and agreed to by the Governor in Council. 2nd. That, with respect to the moneys derived from the sale of the confiscated lands in the province during the past; financial year, one-half of the proceeds, after paying for sale and survey, should be credited to the province. 3. That with respect to the sales which shall take place during the present financial year, the whole proceeds, after deducting cost of survey staff and expenditure incurred on account of the lands within the province shall be credited to the province. 4. That the moneys derived from the sale of such lands shall be appropriated by aet of the Superintendent and Council, subject to such conditions as may be imposed by the General Government, as to the proportion which shall be expended on public works. 5. That such lands as the natives are willing to sell shall from time to time be purchased for the province in the terms of the Public Works and Immigration Act, 1873. 6. That, subject to the above conditions, the Provincial Government shall undertake to settle all claims on such lands, whether arising from the New Zealand Company’s scrip, militia and volunteer scrip, or native claims for compensation for lands taken and yet unsatisfied. Thomas Kelly. H, A. Atkinson. F. A. Carrington. H. Scotland.