MAORI LAND SETTLEMENT

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2592, 28 August 1909, Page 4

MAORI LAND SETTLEMENT

THE SURVEY DIFFICULTY.

PROPOSALS FOR SOLUTION.

One of the chief difficulties in connection with the solution of the Maori land settlement problem, is in connection with the surveys: surveys can only be carried out by the expenditure of much time and money, and until they are carried out. the settlement of na-tive-owned lands under the best conditions is impossible. The Native Minister (Hon. J. Carroll) has made the following pronouncement on the subject:— Under the Native Laud Acts, the approval of the Native Minister is required for the authority to survey Native lands. This provision was made by the Legsilature at the very commencement of the surveys of native lands as a safeguard against: trouble arising between contending factions and claimants. Survey difficulties with the natives were frequent in the past, and recently we had the incident at Opuatia, in the Waikato, where Kerei Kaibau, a brother of Henare Kaihau. member for the Western Maori District, and a. party of women, stopped the survey party and took their surveying. instruments from them. A little later there was trouble in the Urewera Country, which, for the first time, the surveyors entered for the purpose- of establishing trig stations. The Maoris did not recognise the theory that all the- lands of the Dominion belong to the Crown, and that before any area can be Crown-granted, preliminaries, such as surveys and investigations of title, have to be gone through. Jn order,' therefore, to deal with a difficult situation, the provision was made that all STfolicatrbns for authority to survey should be approved by the Native Minister. It is now recognised that circumstances have considerably changed, and that the necessity no longer exists for a provision of this nature. Maoris everywhere have recognised the necessity of correct surveys before they can obtain the proper titles to their lands.

The procedure for obtaining authority to survey is as follows:—The natives claiming any lands, or the majority of them, apply for a survey to the Chief Surveyor of the district, who reports to the Surveyor-General as to the value of the land that is to be surveyed, and as to whether the estimated cost of survey is within swell valuation. The application is sent on by the Surveyor-General to the Native Minister for his approval. On approval, the authority is issued by the Sur-veyor-General, returned to the Chief Surveyor for the distinct, and he in turn sends it to the surveyor authorised to carry out the work* It is conceivable that between the time the application- is made and the grant of the authority, delay may take place. Instead of requiring the majority of the owners of a block to sign applications for survey, it is now proposed that on the certificate of a Judge of the Native Land Court, that a. survey ri necessary, the duty is cast upon the Chief Surveyor of each district to make arrangements to carry out the order of the court. Instead of the Chief Surveyor referring the matter to the Surveyor-General or the Native Department, he will make his own arrangements.. It is also proposed that in order to expedite the completion of these surveys, the should undertake or guarantee the surveyl'chairges,. : ■ taking alien" aghinst the land .