BACK-BLOCKS PROGRESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 32

BACK-BLOCKS PROGRESS.

NATIVE LAND DEALING. THE “TAIHOA” POLICY. (IFiiou Own Own CoKitKspoxnitNT ) WELLINGTON, July 9. In a reference to Native land matters tonight, Mr \3gjlson stated that during the Liberal regime transactions had been sanctioned by Native land boards allowing pcopio to acquire areas of land, four times as great as the law allowed.. Air Macdonald: That is not correct. Air Wilson said that if an inquiry were made into dealings in Native lands during the three years before the present Government came into office the revelations would be surprising. Land had been purchased, in some cases through the Native land boards, and with 24 hours the purchaser had sold again at a price ranging up to £2 5s an acre for goodwill. They had boon told about the present Government robbing the Natives of their lands, but what the Government had deno was to- put a stop to the practice of the speculators. The Government had taken the power away from the private speculators, and had taken to itself the primitive right of purchase, to which it was entitled under the Treaty of Waitangi. The present Government would do every justice to the Maoris, but the country would not go back to the ‘‘ taihoa ” policy. He mentioned a place oh the Main Trunk line where level land was wanted for township purposes, but where the Native owners were asking £2O-0 an acre. That price would willingly be paid if a good title could bo obtained, but here there was the usual difficulty, and this was what blocked progress.