LANDLESS MAORIS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16816, 14 August 1920, Page 6

LANDLESS MAORIS.

DANGER DRAWING NEAR. SALES SHOULD NOW CEASE. —own correspondent WELLINGTON, August 13. What apppars to be a clear expression of opinion that the time has come to call a halt in regard to tho purchasing of Native lands is contained in tho annual report of the Native Land Purchase Board, which was presented to Parliament to-day by tho Minister of Native Affairs. It shows that in the North Island a total of 1,657,278 acres is available for the use of Maoris, but of this it is estimated that about 650,000 acres are within the pumice area and to this should ho added another 200,000 acres of mountain pops, springs, sand dunes, etc., and land unfit for settlement, leaving 907.278 acres that may be considered suitable for settlement. This cannot ho regarded as an excessive area for the use of the 47,000 Maoris comprising tho population of the North Island and their descendants, and comes to roughly 19 acres per Head. Instead of there being a largo area of Native land available for general settlement, it would appear that there is barely enough for tho Natives themselves. It might not bo thought unreasonable, seeing that Europeans have acquired about 62 million acres of Native land, to allow Native owners to retain tho small area remaining to ?hera, for it may safely bo said that the lands leased to Europeans will never return., to the occupation of tho Native owners. The groat problem is to get them settled upon their individual holdings. hut this is not. likely to bo fully realised, as all Maoris will not become farmers, any more than will all Europeans. ' All the figures and statements that can be made will not alter the position, which is that tho Maoris have disposed of nearly all the. lands they can dispose of without leaving the bulk of' them landless and later, probably, to become a charge on the State.