KING COUNTRY LANDS.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17839, 11 October 1929, Page 7

KING COUNTRY LANDS.

PROBLEM OF SETTLEMENT. SIR A. NGATA TO INVESTIGATE. WELLINGTON, Thursday. Applause greeted the statement of the Minister of Native Affairs, Sir Apirana Ngata, to a King Country deputation to-day that he proposed to spend three months of the recess in that district with a view to investigating the question of native lands. The deputation represented the local bodies of the district. Mr C. Boles, Mayor of Taumarunui, emphasised the great amount of undeveloped land in the King Country, mentioning particularly a huge block at Punga Punga east of Taumarunui, and close to the Main Trunk railway. The Borough of Taumarunui had a debt of £150,000. In the past large revenue had been derived from the aawmilllng industry, which was now less active, and unless land development was prosecuted in I'M district it would be difficult for the borough to meet its liabilities. Mr V. W. Lorigan, representing the Te* Kuili Borough Council, Tc Kuiti Chamber of Commerce and Waitomo Power Board, advocated placing 'the natives on the same footing as Europeans as regards finance in order that all might nave the same facilities for developing the land. Mr L. Jones, who represented the Watomo and Waipa County Councils, said the native lands constituted the mast difficult -problem.