FOR LANDLESS NATIVES

Southland Times, Issue 21179, 4 September 1930, Page 11

FOR LANDLESS NATIVES

LARGE TRACT IDLE IN ’HOKONUIS. TRANSFER TO CROWN DESIRED. (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, September 3The fact that a large tract of land for landless Natives is lying idle in the Hokonuis has engaged the attention of the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle and Mr Adam Hamilton (R. Wallace) for some time past, and they are now able to state that something will probably be done with this land in the near future. Mr Perrelle stated to-day that he had approached the Minister of Native Affairs regarding this land and had explained to him that it was good land suitable for dairy farms and that there was very little likelihood of it. ever being utilized by Natives. He suggested to the Native Minister that this land should be sold to the Crown for selection by Europeans. The Native Minister agreed to go into the matter and has now informed Mr Perrelle that Mr Barry, one of the farm supervisors, is under instructions to proceed to Southland to investigate the development of Native reserves. While Mr Barry is in Southland he will endeavour to secure the services of a suitable man Io undertake supervision of any development work which may be underl aken. Mr Hamilton said that Mr Barry was primarily going to Southland to investigate Native reserves in the Colac Bay district with a view to assisting Natives in that district, to develop their holdings. The land in the Hokonuis was never likely to be made use of by Natives, and if it. could be transferred to the Crown for selection it would probably lead to a settlement extending from the Western District through the range to the Eastern District.