Past News Items

Acting Secretary of the Interior Clarence A. Davis today announced that a public hearing will be held at the Osage Indian Agency, Pawhuska, Okla., on September 6 to consider four proposed amendments to the Federal regulations governing the leasing of Osage Reservation lands for oil and gas development.

The Department of the Interior has submitted to Congress a report recommending against enactment of S. 401, a bill that would require forced sale of all Indian tribal lands and complete liquidation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in three years, Secretary Douglas McKay said today. ''

Commenting on the departmental report, which was prepared under his supervision, Indian Commissioner Glenn L. Emmons expressed particular opposition to the requirement for mass liquidation of tribal land holdings in Federal trusteeship.

Top elected officers of 29 Indian tribes from Oklahoma, Kansas and Mississippi have been invited to meet with Commissioner of Indian Affairs Glenn L. Emmons at Dallas, Texas, in a series of sessions beginning December 3 and ending December 13, the Department of the Interior announced today.

The twofold purpose of the meetings is to give the tribal representatives an Opportunity for discussing local problems with Commissioner Emmons and to afford the Commissioner an opportunity to explain more fully the present aims and policies of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Since I first took office as Commissioner of Indian Affairs on August 10, 1953, I have received four invitations to attend the annual meetings of the Governors' Interstate Indian Council. And I have now managed to be present at three of these occasions. This gives me a percentage of 750 which, if I remember my baseball correctly, is a pretty fair batting average.

With an appropriation of $87,050,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, an increase of $7,346,502 over the current year total, the Bureau of Indian Affairs will expand and improve its operations along several major lines, Commissioner of Indian Affairs Glenn L, Emmons said today.

Appointment of Joseph E. Noyes as Chief, Branch of Realty, Bureau of Indian Affairs, was announced today by Commissioner Glenn L. Emmons.

George W. Mathis, who has been serving as Acting Chief of the Branch since the retirement of Harry M. Critchfield last June, is being named to a new position as chief appraiser of the Bureau,

The Bureau of Indian Affairs awarded a $61,540.78 contract today to improve the entrance road to the Taos Pueblo of New Mexico, which annually attracts thousands of visitors.

The improvement will provide a bituminous surface for a little more than two miles with adequate drainage and right-of-way into one of the most popular and spectacular pueblos of the Southwest.

Floyd Haake of Santa Fe, New Mexico, received the contract. One other bid was received, for $86,860.41.

Reappointment of Floyd E. Maytubby, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as Governor of the Chickasaw Indian Tribe for a two-year term beginning October 18 was announced today by secretary of the interior Fred A. Seaton.

In advising Mr. Maytubby of the reappointment, Secretary Seaton noted that he had served in the office "with dignity and integrity" since October 18, 1939.

Immediate transfer of administrative jurisdiction over two small Indian reservations, Kaibab in Arizona and Skull Valley in Utah, was announced today by the Department of the Interior.

Award of a $136,837.21 contract for grading, draining, and crushed-gravel surfacing of 11.6 miles of road on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Shannon County, South Dakota, to Roy Kindt of Winner, South Dakota, was announced today by the Department of the Interior.

Roy Kindt was the low bidder. Five other bids were received, ranging from $140,927.37 to $161,914.18.