NATIVE AFFAIRS

Southland Times, Issue 22492, 29 January 1935, Page 5

NATIVE AFFAIRS

SETTLEMENT SCHEMES

MR FORBES CONTINUES TOUR

OPOTIKI REACHED

(Per United Press Association;)

Whakatane, January 28.

Commencing the fourth day of his tour of the native settlement schemes, the Native Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, was joined at Whakatane by Sir Apirana Ngata, who has recovered from his illness.

They motored through a block of 5000 acres, comprising the Ngatiawa scheme and extending from the bluffs above Whakatane to the west shore of Ohiwi Harbour. This land, which was confiscated long ago and repurchased for native settlement, is being developed for sheep and now carries 3000 sheep with 400 cattle. The Minister was shown a new woolshed, also areas which European residents wish _ excluded from the scheme for subdivision as seaside sections, owing to the great popularity of Ohope Beach. The party was entertained to lunch at Wairaka, a Maori village. A message from Opotiki states that Mr Forbes reached there in the evening from Whakatane and was entertained at dinner by the Opotiki Borough Council and other local authorities, this being his first visit to the district. Afterwards he received deputations on local matters. To-morrow with Sir Apirana Ngata, he will inspect the native settlement schemes in the district, going on to Te Kaha, 45 miles along the coast from Opotiki in the direction of Cape Runaway and spending the night there and returning to Rotorua on Wednesday by way of Ruatoki. He will view the Urewera development scheme en route. Replying at a dinner to a toast of his health proposed by the Hon. J. B. Gow, Mr Forbes said that New Zealand had come out of her difficulties as well as any country in the world and the outlook was not unfavourable.

Referring to native land schemes, he remarked that it was much the best to help the Maori without divorcing him from his own land. This phase of the native problem was on a sounder footing. He was very pleased with the progress of the schemes and the results in the conversion of land from fem and scrub were really surprising, especially on the pumice land, and the keenness of the Maoris augured well. Mr Forbes briefly discussed the problem of the limitation of exports to Britain and said he hoped New Zealand would be able to make favourable terms and be confident that it could continue to do the present amount of business and on profitable terms, even if it were unable to increase it. The Government had not shirked unpopularity or taken the easy course and now the ship had come through the storm with shortened sail, but undamaged.