THE KING COUNTRY

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1847, 31 July 1907, Page 42

THE KING COUNTRY

AREAS FOR SETTLEMEiNT. The report of the Commission dealing with native land in the Rohe-Potae (King Country) ■ states, inter alia: '‘More than any other district wherein the Maoris own large areas of land, this has attracted the attention of the public, particularly of the Auckland province, who have used every possible means of emphasising the defects and anomalies of our Maori land laws as exemplified in the position of the unsettled lands of the King Country. The construction of the Main Trunk railway, the extensive purchases of native lands and the rapid settlement thereon of European farmers, followed by the creation of local bodies with powers necessitating direct contact with Maoris and Maori-owned areas at every turn, have thrown into strong relief the shortcomings of the old regime, wherein rates and taxes were unknown, weeds were not obnoxious, and the hustle of the modern money-making agriculturist and pastoralist not dreamt of.’ So high did feeling run that criticism overstepped the limits of fairness, and fastened upon the Maori owner, we think without sufficient justification, the responsibility of blocking settlement. We feel it our duty to discharge the Maori owners from most, if not all. of the responsibility for the tardy settlement of these lands.”

In 1883 different tribes affected petitioned Parliament to have the district brought under the jurisdiction of the Native Land Court, and the titles to their lands investigated. The area covered by the request was 3,500,000 acres; and the wishes of the petitioners were given effect to in 18S6, when the Native Land Court commenced operations. At the time Parliament had closed all lands to private dealers, had re-asserted the pre-emptive right of the Crown, and had earmarked a proportion of the territory for the purposes of the Main Trunk railway. Over 350,000 acres of the huge Waimarino Block had already been acquired. The report proceeds to deal with the history of the different blocks comprising the King Country, showing the areas already alienated or dealt with, their resources and possibilities. From the tables prepared it would seem that the natives have already sold one-third of the territory to the Crown. The cutting rights of timber companies cover an area of over 60,000 acres', exclusive of which there are under lease, or negotiations for lease, over 125,000 acres; and but for practical difficulties occasioned by recent legislation and by the nature of the titles, a much larger area would now be in profitable occupation. Among tbe NgatiManiapoto the area under - profitable farming is very small. Little has been done by the owners to start farming on an efficient scale. The most hopeful thing ' brought under the notice of the Commission was that at a dairy factory ait Te Kuiti, out of 21,8641 b of butter-fat supplied last season, 15,0001 b were, supplied by Maoris. With European advice available, and with means provided for the purchase of good dairy cattle, small dairy communities may be successfully fostered in the neighbourhood of Otorohanga, Te Kuiti, and Te Kumi. The railway will carry the milk to the central factory which already exists at Te Kuiti, Sheep-farming is a new industry in the Rohe-Potae, for it vrm not tilt" a few years ago that European farmers found entry into the district. The Ngati-Maniapoto have not had the advantage of Maoris in some parts of seeing efficient sheep-farming carried on, and of observing the process of fern-crushing and clearing bush lands, or of erecting modern sheep-proof fences; but the Commission does not think it too late to foster sympathetic farming amongst them, and in that belief recommends the setting apart of any lands they have demanded over and above what the Commission deems necessary for papakaingas. The report sets forth that the number of blocks requiring survey is as follows : —(al Original blocks not surveyed but which have been further subdivided, 36; subdivisions, 1008; required by the Crown cutting out portions for survey lines and by recent Crown purchases in blocks partially acquired, 60: total. 1104. The area of native lands in the RohePotae prior to alienations was 1,844,780 acres. Of this the Crown has alienated 757,159 acres, and there has been alienated by sale to private persons 17,818' acres. The report, after dealing with the history of the Mokau-Mohakatino block, the lease of which has a currency of thirty-two years from now, at an annual rental of .£25, concludes: 1 "After deducting the area covered by different alienations, there remains a balance of 851,930 acres. In dealing with this balance we have consulted the owners or their representatives and ascertained at first hand not only what areas they required for papakaingas and for their use or occupation as farms, but what they themselves desired should bo done with the area they offered for gvieral settlement. The reserves they made for their own use and occupation they did not desire to be made inalienable at the present time, as they recognised the possibility ,of adjustment on further consideration. The general opinion was hostile to selling, and strongly in favour of leasing through the agency of the Board to the highest bidder. "We regret that the time at our disposal did not permit of our visiting Kawhia and other parte of the Eohe-

Potae. A large area of land still remains to be inquired into, and.,it will be necessary for the Commission to pay another visit to the Rohe-Potae to complete its investigations.”