TE ARO SETTLEMENT ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1106, 12 May 1893, Page 33

TE ARO SETTLEMENT ASSOCIATION.

A deputation from this body, which consists of 39 members, waited on the Minister of Lands on Wednesday. It comprised Messrs Geo. Fisher, M.H.R., W. Fisher (Chairman), Bow Jen, Thirkell, Reid, Gill (3), J. Atkinson, W. Steven, G. Long, T. Hayop, and D. Bell. Mr W. Fisher read a statement givinjj a history of their negotiations with the Government for a settlement of 8000 acres in the Awarua Block. They understood that their application was to take precedence, but they were informed at their last meeting with the Ministers for Lands and Justice that they must take their chance with other applicants. They had since learnt that Government had aoquircd the portion of the Awarua Block which thw association had applied for, and could put them on to it at ouca, or within a month or two, if Ministers wibhed to do so. They were disappointed at being delayed so long. Mr Geo. Fisher said tbe association bad been in existence 18 months, and that the late Premier promised that they should have a part of the Awarua Block, and that tho Surveyor-General at the same time produced the plans and informed them that their application was the first for allotment in that block. He understood the Govern* ment had now acquired 70,000 acres of the Awarua Block.

The Minister of Lands, after a regretful allusion to Mr Ballanc6's death, said tho association had taken a different course from other associations, which had taken up any land which happened to be available. The Te Aro Association preferred to wait until a oertain block, whioh was not then Government land, was acquired. Other associations had taken up land which this association had refused. This was tha cause of the delay. Since their application Government had been able to make some purchases in the Awarua Blook, but their interests had not yet been defined by the Court or surveyed. The Native Minister did not wish them to be defined until they had acquired 100,000 aoros. He had carefully refrained from promising to give any association priority, but he understood that this association was either first or nearly first in order of application; other applioanta who had preceded them having accepted other laud. The Premier had assured him that he had said that he could not give a promise of priority for any lands not purohased by the Crown. The Government hoped soon to hsve the purchase of an area oompleted, and then would be the time for tho association to press its claims. He would lot the association know whether it would be neoes3ary for them to send in a fresh application. He was under the impression that there was an application from an Auckland association sent in by Major Lusk be. fore that of tbe Te Aro Association.

The deputation tharked the Minister and withdrew.