WEST COAST RESERVES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 285, 29 May 1912, Page 8

WEST COAST RESERVES

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. MONDAY'S SITTING. i_ The Commission resumed its sittings in the Hawera Courthouse on Monday, when Mr. Bell continued his ease for the natives. I Tu Patea deposed that he with three others had land at Manutahi, consisting of 74 acres. He at first leased to a European for ten years. The rent in the first year was £2O. The rent the second year was £25. When he first leased the land it was growing gorse. The three years after the first year he remitted the rent to enable the European to improve the land. In the fifth year the land was greatly improved, and the rent was advanced to £4O. | Mr. Bell: After it was clear, why did you continue to lease it? Because I did not have money to buy stock with. | Are you in possession of the land 'yourself now?— Yes; I am milking 25 cows on it. I To what use did the pakeha put the land?—He cleared the land, improved it, and put sheep on it. I In your locality are there many Maoris who are prepared to work as you are doing?— Yes. i What is the condition of the land?— I have leased it to the Public Trustee for seven years, and the return 1 will get for it will be that the Public Trustee will clean the land and put it in grass! He is not giving us one penny for it. The land is bush land. He further explained that he had not enough money to do the work. If he could have borrowed the money he would have cleared the land. | Is there sufficient land in your lo)> cality for the natives who are anxious to I work?— There is not much land, but we wish to work "what there is. I Is there any change in the Maoris [since the death of Tohu and Te Whiti? —Since the death of Tohu and Te Whiti there has been a desire amongst us to progress and to work our lands. V I Mr. Welsh: Have you any interests in the old leases under the Act of 1881? —No. He added that he was one of the union which was continued for the purpose of remedying the injury the natives had suffered. Mr. Carroll had said they would get 18,000 acres back . i Would that satisfy them if they got the 18,000 acres?—lf we find that it is sufficient, well and good; but we don't think that will be sufficient for such a large number of Maoris as there are. They ask for this 18,000 acres? —Yes. He added that they desired the land to be returned to them, and individualised amongst them, and that they should receive the same title as the European, and to be treated as a European. i Who is to determine what each native shall have?—lf this land is returned to us we will rely upon our lawyer to assist the union to settle the land. When does he propose doing this; after the Europeans' leases have run out, or before?—He replied, in effect, when the land was returned to the Maori.?. Does he know that the Europeans, when their lease runs out, have a right to be paid for improvements up to £5 per acre?— The lessees have already received full compensation from the fat of the land. Te Poi-tu-tu said he was the owner of 26 acres of bush land in the Rahotu district, and also 194 acr< s, the latter at which he used for dairying. There were a number of natives in his locality who were anxious to work the land. Pou Wliareumu, Fraser road, said that he and his family owned land, of which 74 acres had been leased to a European, who had improved it. Sixteen acres was his own right. Mr. Bell: I believe you are the secretary of the union?— Yes. What is the object of the union?— On the death of Te Whiti we formed this combination for the purpose of being of one mind to work our land, ami. also to have the land from the Public, Trustee returned to our own hands; that is, the land should be returned to us after the expiry of the term for' which it was leased. He added that the Fox-Bell Commissioners told the natives that they had a Crown grant from the Queen, and that this land would be returned to them. Mr. Kerr: With regard to the land vested in the Public Trustee, has any of this land been taken up since Te Whiti's death ? —No. Have you inquired from the Public Trustee as to the lands available at Parihaka ? —No. Well, how is it that you aro wanting lands to work?— What we are thinking of is the 18,000 acres. Those that are now improved?— Well, the lands, we understood, would be returned to us when the leases expire. Mr. Bell: Is it not a fact that t.he

native who is looking for the land prefers to got the land of his own tribe' rathe: than lease the land from another tribe?— Yes. The Mao-i 'i.'uis, if lie wants to improve his land, to have the same facilities as the European?— Yes. Did you know, or do you now know, that in the 18})2 Act the Maori was deprived from the right to compete for the leases?—No, I did not know. Do you know if many of the natives in the Parihaka block are rich enough to take up land if they wished to do so? —I am unable to say. The Chairman: Do you consider that the people as a whole have sufficient knowledge to cultivate the land should they acquire it, or should it revert back to them?—We have already shown we do; we have farmed the lands, and are milking. Do you believe they will improve in knowledge?— Yes. Inia Ngo-ngo-hau said he bad some; land at Parihaka, consisting of 17CI ; acres. He was the only owner, and was ' milking 35 cows. He had other stock on the land. The quality of the. land was originally fern land, but he had improved it during the last four years. Mr. Bell: What does the union tell the natives to do? —The present teaching is that we are taking the young people from Parihaka and telling them to go on to the land. Why haven't more natives taken up land in the Parihaka block?— Well, some of them don't know where the locations are.

Are there many natives near Parihaka who have sufficient money to take upi land?—No, they have no money. How did you manage to farm your land?—l had some very good Europeans who supplied me with cows. I milked the cows and let them have half the proceeds. I have finished paying off those cows.

Mr. Welsh: Those cows are all yours now?— Yes.

And you send tlie milk to the factory? —Yes.

Is there not a good deal of land round Parihaka left?— Yes.

Nothing to prevent other people from starting?— Not if they discovered a good European like I did. Weha Kipua deposed that he leased 70 acres at Katere from the Public Trustee, for which lie paid 9s per acre a year. His mother was the owner of some 34 acres and he did not pay rent for her share. He had been milking on the place after the death of Te Whiti, and he had now 24 cows. He had grown wheat, oats, and potatoes, and with the proceeds bought two cows one time, two another, and so on. He still cultivated the land with wheat and oats. His milk cheque, in the full milking season, amounted to £l6.

The Commission was then adojuxned until eleven o'clock next day.—Star.