IDLE NATIVE LANDS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3348, 14 October 1911, Page 2

IDLE NATIVE LANDS.

“A HOLE-AND-CORNER BUSINESS” MORE ACTIVE POLICY PROMISED (From our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 13. Some frank remarks, regarding the Government’s Native land policy were made in the House of Representatives this afternoon by Mr. R. B. Ross (Paliiatua), a member of the Government party. Mr. Ross asked the Prime Minister whether the Government intended to make provision this session for utilising Native lands which were lying idle. He said that there were 3 blocks of Native land situated respectively in the vicinity of Pahiatua, Dannevirke, and Wc-odville, comprising about 12,000 acres of first-class dairy land- Some of the leases of this land expired twelve months ago. ancl for a year had been subject to a proclamation reserving the right of purchase to- the Government. The proclamation had been extended for six months, and the present position was that the land affected had been lying idle and neglected for a year. Feeling in the district was very strong about this matter, and the- local bodies were crying out for their rates, and it was absurd to allow land in the vicinity of townships and railways to lie idle. Unscrupulous lawyers were operating in the district, and in nearlv every case when the Government proposed to acquire land these lawyers intervened, and suggested to the Natives that they were prepared to give £5 or £6 an. acre mere. The result was that the Natives held back, and many of them in the end were left- to stock their own land, and they did it very badly. The land was in nearly as bad a state and as the barren, hill tops in Central Otago. “I dto hope the Government will put an end to; this hole-and-corner business,” said Mr. Ross, “either let us have free tradein Native lands or some definite provision for acquiring Native lands which are not being used to their full capacity.”

Tlie Minister of Lands (Sir Joseph Ward) replied that he recognised the importance of the matter. It was the duty of the Govern mnet to see- that there was the same justice and honesty of administration in- the talcing of Native- lands as in the taking of European lands. The Government proposed to put as much activity in acquiring both Native and European- lands as the means at its disposal would permit.