NATIVE LANDS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 112, 3 July 1911, Page 5

NATIVE LANDS.

REVIEW BY THE HON. DR. NGATA. (Per Press Association.) Gore, July 2. Speaking at Gore on Saturday night, the Hon. Dr. Ngata introduced entirely- new figures in regard to the administration of the Native Department, comprising a record of operations for file year ended March 31sfc last. The Native Land Court held 94 sittings, at 4(3 places, for which 22,243 cases were notified. Orders were made in 9812 cases; 4388 were dismissed, and 8043 adjourned, Papatupu investigated 186,(3791 acres, partition (833) 503,829 acres, succession orders 7487, other orders 1574. The Appellate Court held 13 sittings, for which 471 cases were notified. The Court varied 72 and affirmed 42, and referred back seven decisions of the Native Land Court. Appeals to the number of 187 were dismissed or withdrawn, and 68 (chiefly applications under Section 50 of tho Native Land Act, 1909) were adjourned. The area administered by the boards totalled 975,010 acres, of which leases totalling 282,402 acres were issued in 422 cases. The Native Land Purchase Commissioners offered, during the year, 902,074 acres : completed 75,437; referred to meetings of assembled owners and in course of purchase, 430,560, declined by . board, 162; declined by assembled owners, 35,922; under consideration, 27,230; held over pending appeals, 61,7021; under proclamation, 171,0534 > under survey, 603,383 acres. Collected by tho Native Court, £3BOB 6s; collected by the registrars, £391 15s 2d; search fees, £278 15s 2d ; stamps, £1467 ; outstanding, £BB9 2s and £6334 18s lid; Maori Land Board’s revenue from fees, £3369 18s 6d; licensed interpreters’ fees, £92 ss; a sum of £10,397 2s sd, fees, was not charged to the Government departments, who, nevertheless, charge the Native Department for work done for it. If a charge were made it is estimated that the Government Departments would pay at least £IOOO to the Native Land Purchase Board, instead of £132 or £1132, which brought the revenue up to about £11,529. The vote for the Native Department last year was £22,257, of which £21,661 was expended, and it cost the taxpayers a little over £II,OOO to bring into settlement 345,218 acres, and to advance titles to 690,508 acres to native land, chiefly in outlying districts, such as Hokianga, Whangarei, Bay of Islands, Bay 7 of Plenty, East Cape, Taupo, King'Country, and inland from Wanganui.