NATIVE LANDS, EAST COAST.

Wananga, Volume 1, Issue 8, 24 November 1874, Page 44

NATIVE LANDS, EAST COAST.

July 29th 1874. Mr. W. Kelly said that his reason for moving for the correspondence on this subject was that pharagraphs and Articles had appeared in certain Auckland papers, commenting strongly on the conduct o± officers connected with the Native department on the East Coast, the district officer at the Bay of W , as accused of interfering on behalf of private individuals m the purchase of Native Lands, to the great disadvantage of the district. It was stated, in a leading atic.e m the Daily Southern Cross, that officer offered £4OO for one block of Land, in opposition to an offer by the Land purchase Commissioner for the same block.' It was afterwards stated, m the same Journal that £IOO was offered by the district officer, under similar circumstances, for another block on the Tarawera, which the Land purchase Commissioner was instructed to obtain for the Government. He believed the Native Minister was anxions that the matter should be investigated, and that te officer in question had applied to the Lrovernment to have an inquiry instituted concering the charges preferred against him, with Justice to that officer, such should take place without delay he (Mr. .Kelly) did not wish to have any papers or corespondence laid oh the table which related to amnegotiations that were still pending, and he only asked for the correspondence between the Native

office the Land purchase Commissioners, and the officers of the district, in relation to the particular matter to which he had referred. He begged to move the Motion standing in his name. Motion made, and question proposed, That all correspondence relative to the purchase or lease of Native Lands on the East Cost, between the Native department and Land purchase Commissioner, be laid on the table of this House. Also that the correspondence between the district officers the Land purchase Commissioners, and Native department if any, be laid upon the table! Mr. McLean said, the Government would he happy to furnish the correspondence asked for by the Honorable Member. He intended to cause an investigation to be made into the matter, because it was not only due to the officer complined- of, but to the Government also, that an inpuiry should take place. He thanked the Honorable Member for not asking correspondence in relation to negotiations still going on, because it would, of course, be most unwise; to supply such correspondence, and he fell sure that the papers which would be laid on the table, would satisfy the Honorable Member. He had laid on the table that day, a return showing all the Land purchase transactions, including those on East Coast, up to the 30th June last, giving the name of the blocks purchased or leased and the prices paid in fact, giving a full statement of the transactions, both complete and incomplete, which had taken place up to that date. Motion agreed to.