ORAKEI ESTATE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20764, 26 June 1937, Page 7

ORAKEI ESTATE

PETITION OF NATIVES NOT GRANTED By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, June 24. A decision regarding the position of Maoris living at the native village at Orakei has been reached by the Government, which has now intimated to the Auckland City Council that it cannot see its way to grant the prayer of the natives to return to them the land purchased by the Crown. The Government also undertakes to ascertain how many homes would be required elsewhere to house the natives now squatting on Crown Land at Orakei. Advice of the Government’s decision was received by the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, and submitted to the City Council tonight. In this communication the ActingMinister of Native Affairs, the Hon. F. Langstone, said that after an investigation into the best method of arriving at a settlement of the problem affecting Orakei natives and the Crown’s purchases of lands at Orakei, the Government had decided that it could not see its way to grant the prayer of the petitions of the natives that their papakainga and church site should be returned to them. The natives had also asked that an area of 40 acres at Orakei be returned to them for a papakainga and to enable a model pa to be erected, but the Government had also decided that this request could not be granted. Mr Langstone said the Government had no wish to act harshly towards the Maoris and their relatives who were at present occupying suitable areas of land elsewhere on which to erect dwellings should the Cabinet approve of finding the funds required for the purpose on the cost involved being ascertained. The Minister also said the Government did not favour the project of the erection of a model pa at Orakei. While appreciating the sentiment of the natives in this respect, it was felt that to warrant the erection of a model pa at Orakie there would need to be present some economic necessity for its location there. A careful scrutiny of facts did not reveal any possibility of Maori residents at Orakei finding in the area still owned by them an economic support capable of maintaining that standard of living which the locality demanded. The Council referred the matter to a committee.