AOTEA MAORI LAND COUNCIL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11635, 12 August 1905, Page 6

AOTEA MAORI LAND COUNCIL.

This" Council has been sitting at Wan'gahui 4he greater' pol'tloir of- the -week. Tliev have accepted? a- tender for a sectionin the Paetawa Block and-.liaye dealt- with questions affecting sub-divisional surveys, in • QhotuJ It being the last meeting of fcbeipresent Council, there has been a rush, of work 1 in bringing up to date the unfinished applications for consents _to leases, as also for, recoaninendations for- removal of the" .restrictions from/title to allow of sales, and exemptions from the operations of Section J. 17 of the Native Land Court Act, 1894, which restricts dealings with native land.; Owing to the absence of the President (Judge Dunbar Johnson) " the European member" (Mr T. TV. Fisher) ,is presiding, and the other jnembers present ' are Messrs Takarangi-Mete -Kingi, Aohau Nikitini, and Waatd, W. Hipango. The whole of the members of the. Council go out ■ of office on the 13th inst. under the provisions of the amending, statute of 1902 but so 'far no --action seems ft> have been taken for holding the necessary election' of members, throe of whom are elected by vote of the Maoris in their respective districts. '' •' ■

It is contemplated that fresh legislation is being brought forward this session in connection, with dealings generally with native-. lands, 'but ifc will be- very inconvenient if no Council is in existence until after the session ends. - In -fact, -with the move that has now taken place in connection with -the settlement 'of ■ Ohotu Block, alone, it- is "necessary- that '&■ president should be at once appointed With" sufficient members' to- keep the - Council- alive, and that the' president should -be permanently in the- district,' so that no delays shonld ocputf-in.allowirig:.the completion- of transactions which are already" in -Hand. ■ '