UNUSED NATIVE LANDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 22

UNUSED NATIVE LANDS.

MORE ACTIVITY PROMISED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October 13. Pome frank remarks regarding the Government's Native land policy were made in the House of Representatives this afternoon by Mr R. B. Ross—a member of the Government party. Mr Ross asked the Prime Minister if the Government intended to make provision this session for utilising Native lands lying idle. He said fchat there were three blocks of Native land situated respectively in the vicinity of Pahiatua, Dannevirke, and Woodville, comprising about 12,000 acres of first-class dairy land. Some of the leases of this land expired 12 months ago, and for a year it had been subject to a proclamation reserving the right of purchase to the Government. The proclamation had been extended for six months, and the present position was that the land affected had been lying idle and neglected for a year. Feeling in the district was very strong about this matter, and the local bodes were crying out for their rates. It was absurd to allow land in the vicinity of townships and railways to lie idle. Unscrupulous lawyers were operating in the district. In nearly every case when the Government proposed to acquire

land, these lawyers intervened and suggested to the Nafcivee that they were prepared to give £5 or £6 an acre more. The result was that the Natives held back, or many of them in the end were left to stock their own ]and, and they did it very badly. The land was in a state nearly as bad as the barren hilltops of Central Otago. "I do hope the Government will put an end to this hole-and-corner business," said Mr Ross. " Either let us have freetrade in Native lands or some definite provision for acquiring _ lands which are not being used to their full capacity." The Minister of Lands (Sir J. G. Ward) replied that he recognised the importance of the matter. It was the duty of the Government to see that there was the same justice and honesty of administration in the taking of Native lands as in the taking of European lands. The Government proposed to put as much activity in acquiring both Native and European lands as the means' at its disposal would permit.