MAORI LAND PURCHASE OPERATIONS: REPORT UNDER THE MAORI LAND SETTLEMENT ACT, 1905, FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1910.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1910 Session I, G-03a

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1910. NEW ZEALAND.

MAORI LAND PURCHASE OPERATIONS: REPORT UNDER THE MAORI LAND SETTLEMENT ACT, 1905, FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1910.

Presented to both Route* of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

Sir, — Department of Lands, Wellington, 20th June, 1910. Under the powers conferred by the Maori Land Settlement Act, L 905, the purchases requiring completion have been dealt with, and 1 attach a report by Mr. R. A. Paterson, of the Lands Department, who was appointed Land Purchase Officer for the purpose of closing up all Maori land purchases in progress in the Lands Department, in order that the future land-purchase operations might be undertaken by the Board brought into existence by Part XIX, section 361, et seq., of the Native Land Act, 1909. The area actually acquired and titles to the Crown completed amounts to 15,588 acres, whilst the area still on hand awaiting completion of titles amounts to 22,476 acres, to which may be added aboul 20,000 acres of the Moerangi Block, giving a total of 42,476 acres under negotiation. Practically the whole of these lands are in the Auckland Land District. f have, &c, Wμ. C. Kensington, The Hon. J. Carroll, Native Minister. Under-Secretary for Lands.

REPORT BY LAND PURCHASE OFFICER. Sir, — Department of Lands, Wellington, 15th June, 1910. I beg to submit to you the result of the operations during the year on the purchase of Native lands on behalf of the Crown. In 1908 purchase-work ceased, the funds under the Maori Land Settlement Act having been exhausted. After the last of the blocks under purchase were put through the Native Land Court, the services of Mr. W. H. Grace, the remaining outside officer, were terminated at the beginning of the past year. In July, 1909, further funds were available, and I then commenced operations in the southern Auckland and Waikato, and continued at intervals throughout the year. The following is a statement of the expenditure during the financial year : — £ s. el. On purchases completed during the year .. .. .. 21,952 17 2 On purchases incomplete .. .. .. .. .. 9,471 18 8 Surveys, administration, and general expenses .. .. .. 465 18 6 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. £31,890 14 1 Of the above expenditure, Funds were provided as follows: — From Maori Land Settlement Account .. .. .. .. 437 11 8 From Public Works Fund, purchase of Native lands .. .. 31,453 2 8 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. £31.890 14 4

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The following are the completed purchases : — *■■ R- pTe Akau Bl .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,261 2 <> B2a .. .. .. •. .. .. 1,000 0 0 B3 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 326 1 0 B4 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 890 0 0 B5 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 860 0 o B6 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,356 0 0 B8 .. ' .. .. .. .. .. 888 0 0 818 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,200 0 0 Blsa .. ". .. .. .. .. 510 0 0 822 .. .. .. .. .. 300 0 0 823 a .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,992 337 D4a .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,488 0 0 DBa .. .. .. .. .. .. 810 0 26 . Dll 343 2 0 Dl6a .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,084 221 Tapuwaeohounuku B2 .. .. .. .. .. 726 326 TeAhiapanta .. .. .. .. .. .. 550 o 0 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 15,587 330 In addition to the completed work at the 31st March, the following blocks were on hand at, that date. Some of the purchases have been completed since then, whilst others are just waiting to be put through the Court : — TurotoC No. 2b .. .. .. .. .. .. 506 0 20 Te Amu™ A3b . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,078 3 I Hikurangi .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,844 0 0 TeAkaußl9 874 2 0 821 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,100 0 0 Rangitoto Tuhua 77k (part) .. .. .. .. .. 153 315 Kopua Is, Section 2b .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 0 0 Rangitoto A3b .. .. .. .. .. .. 664 ohi Rangitoto A 18a, Section 2 .. .. .. .. .. 7,189 128 Tapuwaeohounuku 81.. .. .. .. .. .. 726 3 26 B8 .. .. .. .. .. 2,907 228 Puhanga-te-Uru 3b .. .. .. .. .. .. 136 220 Te Awaiti 1 a No. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 264 0 0 Te Akau D No. 10 .. .. .. . . .. ITS 0 o Dl 6 .. .. .. .. .. .. 250 o o D 6 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 454 l> (i Waitakaruru 5c .. .. . . .. . . . . 874 0 0 Te Ahuaturanga Nos. 1-6 .. .. .. .. .. 1,263 O 0 Te Whiti-a-tiini .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,370 0 0 Wharehapua No. Iα .. .. .. .. .. .. 105 0 0 No. 2a .. .. .. .. .. .. 30 0 0 Oterangiwhaiao No. 1 .. . . . . . . . .. 49 0 0 PapaToa No. 1 . . .. .. . . .. .. 107 0 0 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 22,476 137 In addition to this area, please see subsequent remarks re Moerangi Block. As regards the incomplete blocks, — Turoto C No. 2b. —(rood progress has been made. There are still a number of signatures to be obtained from Kawhia, and then it will !><■ put through the Court. Te Awaroa A3b. —Good progress has been made. There arc still a number of signatures to be obtained from Kawhia, and then it will be put through the Court. llikurangi. —This block is almost complete. Te Akau Bl9.—There are only two small interests to acquire. It will be completed at the July Court. Te Akau 821. —This is now complete. Rangitoto-Tuhua 77e.—This block was held up owing to a partition having been made while the purchase was under way. The matter is to be considered and concluded at Otorohanga Court, sitting this month. Knj)ua Is. Section 2b.—This cannot be completed till an adjustment has been made on a former survey. Bmgitoto A3b.—There are two outstanding interests which will probably not be sold. The blockis to be dealt with at the Otorohanga Court, sitting this month. Rangitoto AlBa. Section 2.—Good progress lias been made in this purchase. It is down for the ( Morohanga Court sitting this month. Tapuwaenhovnul:)! B\. There is only one outstanding interest, that of a deceased person. Succession is to be dealt with at Otorohanga this month, when purchase will be completed.

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Tapuwaeohounuku 53. —There is only one outstanding interest, and which may not be obtained. Otherwise it will be put through at Otorohanga Court, sitting this month. Pahnnqa-te-Uw 3b.—There are one or two outstanding interests here. The whereabouts of the persons concerned is not known. It will be put through at the next Thames Court. Te Awaiti Iα No. 1. — Only one signature remains, which will be"obtained at Paeroa at first opportunity. Te Akau D\o. —The signature of one trustee remains to be obtained, and the block is then complete. Te Akau Z)l5. —There are still a few outstanding signatures. If no more can be obtained, it will be put through the Court at Ngaruawahia in July. Te Akau Dβ. —There are still a few outstanding signatures. If no more can be obtained, it will be put through the Court at Ngaruawahia in July. Waitakaruru sc.—There was a very large list of owners in this block, and about a dozen signatures remain. The block will be dealt with ;it the next Thames Court. Te Ahuaturanga Nos. 1-6. — Negotiations have only recently commenced. The land is subject to a Proclamation prohibiting private dealings. Te Whitiatara. —Negotiations have only recently commenced. The land is subject to a Proclamation prohibiting private dealings. Wharehapua No. lα, Wharehapua No. 2a, Oteranqiwhaiaa No. 1, and Paparoa No. I.—The titles were ready at 31st March, but were not in a position to be registered. They are now complete. In addition to the purchases scheduled as incomplete, there is an interest in the Taharoa A Block, the position of which was appealed against by the Crown (the partition having been made at Kawhia in the absence of a Crown officer). The said appeal was granted ; but until the judgment of the Appellate Court is given on other appeals bearing on the case, the matter must stand in abeyance. Moerangi Block. —This block of 45,170 acres has been before the Maori Land Board, the Papatupu Block Committee, and finally the Native Land Court, which has ascertained the ownership. Negotiations as to acquirement of an area have progressed satisfactorily already, a considerable area having been agreed to by individual owners as soon as some minor matters of appeal are settled between certain parties. The Crown should realise about 20,000 acres. I have, &c, R. A. Paterson, Chief Accountant and Native-Land Purchase Officer. Wm. C. Kensington, Esq., 1.5.0., Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington.

Approximate cost of paper. —Preparation, not given ; printing (1,550 fiopios), £2 2s.

Authority : John Mackav, Government Printer. Wellington.- 1910.

Price 3d.]

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