Statement Relative to Land Purchases, North Island.

In pursuance of the course adopted last year, I propose to lay before the House a statement of the land-purchase operations of the Government under the Immigration and Public Works Acts for the year ended 30th June, 1876; but, before doing so, I may be permitted to make a few general remarks for the information of honorable members.

It will be remembered that, in the statement I had the honor to make last year, I took occasion to mention some of the obstacles which had to be contended with by the Government in the task of acquiring a landed estate for the North Island, not the least of which was the superior advantages held by the experienced agents of capitalists and speculators in buying up large tracts of country. I am happy to inform the House that during the past year the Government agents have been less exposed to obstruction in carrying out to a satisfactory issue their arrangements with the Natives.

To the north of Auckland several valuable blocks of land have been purchased, some of which are well adapted for settlement. Some delay took place in completing these transactions, from the circumstance that the land could not be passed through the Native Land Court till proper surveys had been made. These having been accomplished, no difficulty was experienced in bringing negotiations to a successful issue; and, of the one hundred and one transactions originally entered into, nearly the whole have been completed; 443,856 acres have been acquired at a cost (inclusive of expenses) of £43,895 1s. 8d., or 2s. per acre.

The value of many of these blocks was not really known till the country had been opened up by surveys; and it is reported by the surveyors and Europeans in the district who have inspected the land that they are eminently adapted for settlement. Appeals have on more than one occasion been made by the Natives to have these lands peopled by an English population, and they have readily disposed of some of the best of their lands to induce European settlement.

Viewing the large extent of country that has been from time to time acquired from the Natives in the North, and the representations that have been made by the District Officer, appointed under the Native Land Act of 1873, as to the quantity of land still in the possession of the Natives, it has become a question for consideration whether, after the present negotiations are completed, it would be right, regard being had to the wants of the Natives, for the Government to acquire any more land in that district.

Most of the lands to the North of Auckland in the possession of the Natives are, through the medium of the Native Land Court, held under Crown grant; and the cordial relations which exist between them and their European neighbours indicate that the time has arrived when the Ngapuhi and Rarawa tribes may be considered as upon an equal footing with the Europeans.

Of the lands purchased to the north of Auckland, 229,559 acres have been handed over to the province to be dealt with under the existing land laws.

I will take next in order—the Coromandel and Thames District. Many circumstances have, during the past year, tended to retard the completion of these purchases. Several of the blocks have been before the Native Land Court, and the Native owners ascertained, and are in a fair way of being finally acquired, the conveyances to the Crown only requiring one or two signatures to complete the purchases. One of these blocks is the Waikawau and Moehau, containing 118,802 acres, upon which payments have been made amounting to £15,930 6s. 9d. Several of the purchases in this district are encumbered with timber leases, having currency for periods varying from 21 to 99 years. The above lands are of little value for agricultural purposes, but the Superintendent of Auckland, whom the Government, under "The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870," were bound to consult, urged upon the Colonial Government the desirability of acquiring the fee-simple in the belief that the lands were auriferous. It must also be borne in mind that these purchases were recommended with the full knowledge that these leases existed. So strongly was the then Superintendent, Mr. Gillies, impressed with the importance that the purchases should be made without delay, that he represented to the Government the desirability of keeping the Land Purchase Agent supplied with money, and even made advances out of his own means to accomplish this object. I will quote his own words:—

"Being personally aware that a very large sum might be saved to the colony and the province on this purchase (Waikawau and Cape Colville Blocks) by dealing with the Natives at a tangi at Ohinemuri, I felt myself justified in advancing to Mr. Mackay the sum of two thousand pounds for that purpose. I proceeded with Mr. Mackay to Ohinemuri, and was present when he was negotiating with the Natives there assembled, and I feel convinced that a large saving, both in time and money, was effected by his being placed in funds promptly to conduct these negotiations. I trust that you will approve of my action in this matter, and that the amount advanced will be at once repaid. Permit me further to suggest that provision should be made in future for providing funds by which advantage can be taken promptly of such circumstances as the above, which occasionally arise."

There are certain blocks of land on the Upper Thames, Waitoa, and Piako Rivers, amounting to an estimated area of 200,000 acres, the purchase of a principal part of which, it is believed, will soon be completed. A considerable portion of these lands are looked upon as suitable for settlement. Mr. Mackay has for some time been endeavouring to arrange the differences of the Native owners in respect to boundaries, and has succeeded in getting several blocks surveyed, so that I hope at no distant period these lands will be thrown open for sale and occupation.

The purchases in the Thames district that have been completed amount to 145,441 acres, at a cost (inclusive of expenses) of £23,231 17s. 1d., or 3s. 3d. per acre.

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Owing to difficulties interposed by one or two sections of the Arawa tribe, it has been deemed prudent to discontinue for the present all land purchases in the Bay of Plenty district. The nature of those obstructions will be seen by reference to the reports of the Land Purchase Agents, already laid on the table of the House. The agents have consequently been withdrawn.

At Taupo the like difficulties were not encountered, and larger areas have been acquired, either by purchase or lease. The survey of 62,787 acres has already been completed, and further surveys are in progress over lands estimated to contain 261,000 acres.

In these districts 99,974 acres have been purchased, at a cost of £14,258 11s. 6d., or about 2s. 10d. per acre.

I will now refer to the East Coast and Wairoa districts. In the former very little has been completed, although large areas are under negotiation. Land purchase arrangements in this district being now the subject of inquiry, need not at present be further alluded to.

In the Upper Wairoa large blocks have been acquired to the extent of 146,080 acres. I may here mention the great change that has come over Native feeling in the interior of that part of the country. The Urewera, a tribe but a few years ago at deadly feud with us, and who, even after friendly relations were established pertinaciously refused to sell an inch of their lands, were considerable owners in these blocks. With some hesitation they submitted to allow these claims to be adjudicated upon by the Native Land Court. Their claims were heard, and they were well satisfied with the result; and yielding to the persuasion of the co-claimants of other tribes, joined in the sale, and received their share of the money. Ample reserves have been set apart for the Natives, which are not included in the figures quoted above.

The transactions within the Province of Auckland, completed since the 30th June, 1875, are—

North of Auckland		165,661 acres
Thames		4,205 "
Taupo		19,423 "
Upper Wairoa		146,080 "
	Total	335,369 "

The total results of the land purchases in the Auckland Province since 1872 are as follows:—

In the Hawke's Bay District no purchases have been made during the year.

In Wellington fair progress has been made, and several purchases have been satisfactorily completed. I would, however, point out that the quantities as set forth in last year's Statement were greatly over-estimated. Since then surveys have been made, and the actual acreage ascertained. I will allude to this subject again presently.

The transactions completed since 30th June, 1875, amount to 58,425 acres.

The total of the purchases in the Wellington Province amount to 440,927 acres, at a cost of £58,409 13s., or 2s. 8d. per acre, including all expenses.

The area of the land surveyed during the past year was 69,113 acres. A large amount of survey work has to be done before the whole of the transactions in this district can be correctly computed. The area of land handed over to local administration amounts to 179,944 acres.

In the Taranaki Province the engagements that stood open on the 30th June, 1875, have, during the past year, been completed. Since then arrangements for acquiring 41,252 acres have been entered into. Negotiations have also been begun for the purchase of several large blocks of heavily timbered land estimated to contain about 200,000 acres.

The purchases completed during the past year amount to 82,381 acres, making a total for the Taranaki District of 252,880 acres, at a cost of £36,393 0s. 3d., about 2s. 10½d. per acre. The lands handed over to be administered under local land laws were 87,269 acres.

Recapitulation of land purchases in the several provinces which have been completed:—

Auckland	835,628 acres
Hawke's Bay	240,537 "
Wellington	440,927 "
Taranaki	252,880 "
	1,769,972 "

The lands held under lease are in the Province of Auckland, and amount to 339,499 acres. So that the completed transactions, including the leases, cover an area of 2,109,471 acres.

To give some idea of the extent of the work completed, I may mention that 245 deeds, representing 1,924,602 acres, have been received in Wellington, and have been deposited in the Crown Lands Office.

When it is considered that each block, however small, involved a great deal of time and patience, unlike similar negotiations with Europeans, the result as shown above may, I think, be considered very satisfactory.

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I will now say a few words on the uncompleted transactions. In the district to the north of Auckland, there are twenty-seven blocks, representing 57,536 acres, which have been surveyed, and are awaiting investigation in the Native Land Court. On these lands advances have been made. As soon as the Court has decided upon the proper Native owners, there is no reason why these should not be completed immediately after. There are twelve other blocks to the north of Auckland, not included in the above, now being surveyed, and which also will be submitted to the Native Land Court, and closed as soon as practicable.

The incomplete transactions for the purchase and lease of lands are as follows:—

Purchases.

Auckland		1,937,852 acres
Hawke's Bay		22,000 "
Wellington		694,763 "
Taranaki		41,252 "
	Total	2,695,867 "

Leases.

Auckland	1,171,077 acres
Wellington	307,833 "
	1,478,912 "

I have not included in these figures the estimated 200,000 acre blocks in the Taranaki Province. The land purchase transactions last year, in a return laid before Parliament last Session, show as follow:—

Complete.	Purchased lands		1,331,522 acres
"	Leased lands		391,601 "
Incomplete.	Lands under purchase		2,941,842 "
"	Lands under lease		1,522,502 "
		Total	6,187,467 "

At the close of the year ended 30th June, 1876, the several purchases and leases are as follow:—

Purchased land complete		1,769,972 acres
Leased land complete		339,499 "
Purchases incomplete		2,695,867 "
Leases incomplete		1,478,912 "
	Total	6,284,250 "

From the above figures, as compared with those given last year, it would appear that the negotiations entered into during the year represent only 96,783 acres; but this is not the case, the actual area brought under negotiation being 573,916 acres. The difference is explained by the fact that some areas approximately given in last year's return have in certain instances proved less, on actual survey, than the estimate.

For instance, in Auckland the areas were under estimated by 45,650 acres, whereas in Wellington the land was over estimated by 506,033 acres, in Hawke's Bay by 15,000 acres, and in Taranaki by 1,750 acres, making an actual difference of 477,133 acres over estimated. The deficiency is, however, more than made up by the transactions of the present year, which are stated thus:—

Auckland	522,664 acres
Wellington	10,000 "
Taranaki	41,252 "
	573,916

The following is a summary of the transactions completed last year:—

Auckland.—	Mangonui	11,844 acres
	Hokianga	35,300 "
	Kaipara	117,595 "
	Whangarei	882 "
	Total, North of Auckland		165,661 acres
	Thames		4,205 "
	Taupo		19,423 "
	Wairoal		46,080 "
	Total, Auckland		335,369 "
Wellington			58,425 "
Taranaki			82,381 "
	Total purchased		476,175 "
	Leased		138,971 "
	Total Purchased and Leased during year ended 30th June, 1876		615,146 "

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