3

(*.—6

(c.) In 1891 there was a large area of papatupu land —extending from Torere, near Opotiki, via Cape Runaway, to the mouth of the Waiapu River, south of East Cape —amounting to about 480,000 acres. Of this area there now remains less than 90,000 acres papatupu, and less than one-half in Maori ownership unoccupied. These three districts comprise (with the exception of Taupo and portions of North Auckland) the most backward and the least accessible at the beginning of 1891. In two years it is estimated there will not be any block of value remaining in the category of " customary " or " papatupu " land. This Position in 1911. 'Ihe Native lands in the North Island were reduced by sales to the Crown and to private individuals to 7,137,205 acres at the 31st March, 1911. The Lands Department Return, C.-l, 1911 (page 37), gives the following : — Land District. Acres. Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 3,882,893 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... ... 341,362 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ... 1,480,974 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,531,481 7,236,710 But that return did not take into consideration sales approved by the various Maori Land Boards and completed before the 31st March of this year, but not registered at that date. For purposes of reference it may be taken as correct that at the 31st March, 1911, the area of Native lands in the North Island, ow-ned by the Maoris, or held for them by Boards and trustees, was 7,137,205 acres. Area profitably occupied. The area estimated to be profitably occupied as at the 31st March, 1911, was as follows : — (1.) Lands leased direct by Native owners — Acres. (a.) Confirmed by Native Land Court ... ... 1,500,000 (b.) Approved by Maori Land Boards ... ... 1,291,686 (2.) Lands leased on behalf of Maori owners — («.) Through the Maori Land Boards ... ... ... 294,873 (b.) By the' East Coast Trust Land Commissioner (including area farmed by Maoris and the Commissioner) ... 95,050 (c.) Under the Mangatu No. 1 Empowering Act ... ... 51,295 (d.) By the Public Trustee ... ... ... ... 1(i3.665 (3.) Area subject to timber agreements validated by Parliament on the recommendation of the' Native Land Commission ... ... 135,000 (4.) Area subject to Tutira and Waimarama leases validated by Parliament on the recommendation of the Commission ... 24,773 (5.) Area estimated to be in profitable occupation by the Maori owners 500,000 4,056,342 As to the area held under lease, the leases vary in character from the leases with perpetual right of renewal in Taranaki to leases, chiefly in the Wellington and Hawke's Bay Land Districts, which are on the point of expiring. Ihe latter, after providing for the needs of the Maori owners, are supplying near populated, centres suitable areas of improved land for closer settlement as ordinary Crown lands. These lands ate producing a return to their owners; on them local taxation is paid, and on them also land-tax is paid by the Native owners through the lessees, who deduct from rent payable land-tax paid by them on account of the Native owners. It is true that large areas are unimproved, having been recently taken up, but so is the case with Crown lands recently settled. Private alienation is taking place on a large scale in respect of these lands within the limitations imposed by the Native Land Act, 1909, and the Crown is also engaged in the purchase of areas of such lands close to centres of population. 11//occupied*Lands. After deducting the area estimated as above to be in profitable occupation, there remains a balance unoccupied of 3,080,863 acres. Of this area a proportion must be deducted as unfit 'for settlement. This is difficult to arrive at correctly. The Lands Department (C.-l, 1911, page 37) estimatesithe area occupied by roads, rivers, and lakes in the North Island at 1,000,882 acres. It is safe to estimate that one-fifth of this area is oh Native land, and of such one-fifth a little under one-half is on unoccupied Native lands. The bulk of the unoccupied lands are in the Urewera country (both within and without the area known as tlie Urewera District Native Reserve), Taupo, Thermal Springs District, Inland Poverty Bay, Cape Runaway and East Cape, Upper Wanganui, Inland Patea near the Ruahine. Range, and North Auckland. They are mainly, therefore, in those portions of the North Island that are difficult of access. Ihe distribution of the bulk of the unoccupied Native land is as follows : — (1.) The Urewera District Native Reserve contains in one compact area the largest extent of unoccupied lands. Its total area is 650,000 acres. After deducting 37,000 acres purchased by the