SALE OF MAORI LANDS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7243, 31 July 1907, Page 4

SALE OF MAORI LANDS.

WHAT A ROYAL COMMISSION ■ , SAYS.

The dangers incidental to the sale of Maori .lands, both before and since the pre-emptive right of the Crown was placed on the statute book, have been the subject of frequent' debate in Parliament. The view of the Maori Land Commission on the subject will therefore be of more than passing interest. "Theoretically," the commission says, " the Crown, does not buy unless the owners are willing to sell. But the experience of half a century shows : " (1) That in the absence, of competition produced by restrictive legislation, and in the face of encumbrances due to litigation and survey costs, circumstances are created which practically compel the Maori people to sell at any price.. " (2) That the individualisation of. titles to the extent of ascertaining and defining the share of each individual owner in a, tribal block owned by a large number gives to each owner the right of bargaining with the Crown and selling his interest ; it gives' scope to secreti dealing, and practically renders impossible concerted action on the part of a tribe or hapu in the consideration of the fairness or otherwise of the price offered, or in the consideration of the advisability of parting at all with the tribal lands.

'' (3) That the weaknesses' and improvidence of the race are directly appealed to. The sight of a Government cheque-book and the prospect of a good time, at the hotels or on the racecourse or of an investment in the latest motorcar are sufficient for the majority ot owners in any Native block to waive all consideration, and to put their signatures to the purchase deeds." "There was," it goes on to say, "no provision prior to 1905, nor is there now, for controlling and preventing the wasteful expenditure of the proceeds of a sale. Under the present system no purchase can be effected if the native owners were informed that the purchase money would not be paid directly to them," but would be held in trust by some responsible officer or body to be expended for the improvement of other lands belonging to the vendors or to be invested Tor their benefit. That such a provision is necessary at the present time the evidence of waste and prodigality in connection with the recent purchases in, Hawke's Bay, Wanganui, and the King Country is absolutely conclusive.

"It is our duty to point out that it would be difficult to defend the present system of land purchase. The Crown purchases land from the Maoris, pays for these purchases out of borrowed "money. As soon as the purchases are complete and a title obtained from the Native Land Court the land is passed over to the Lands Department for survey, sale, etc. The income derived from the sale of these lands becomes ordinary repayment of the amount borrowed for the purchase of lands. Wo do not suppose that any one would say that this is sound finance, yet this is the system that has been going on for a number ol years, and it has been the policy adopt-ed,-not by one Government , but by ninny Governments. Our review of the position compels us to recommend that the agquisition of Native lands by the Crown under the present system of purchase be discontinued."

Finally, the commission puts its opinion forward in this way: "The only fair thing, in our opinion, both to tho Maori owners and all would-be purchasers or lessees, is that the latter should be put on an equality, and this can only be attained by allowing the highest bidder to become the purchaser or lessee, but limiting the persons who can become competitors according to the extent of their land holdings at the time of sale, so as to accord witt the policy or the country in respect of Crown lands."

Cabinet has agreed to give a £ for £ subsidy up to £100 towards the cost of erecting a pedestal in memory of Captain Cook at Sliip Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound, one of his landing places in New Zealand.

Operations against the fruit fly have been suspended in Hastings district, and it is stated that there is every reason to believe ifha-t the pest has been exterminated. The Department, however, has instructed the officials to make a rigorous inspection in November, when the conditions are favourable to the reappearance of the fly.

Oats are oats this year, remarks tihe Gore Standard, and merchants have considerable difficulty in filling orders. As much as 3s a bushel is being refused for seed lines of moderate quality, and sales of small quantities of dressed seed have taken place afe 3s 3d. With seed cats at 3s 3d and t chaff at £5- a ton, it is not a very suit-able year for those wLo are starting farming.

" F.M." writes to the Dunedin Evening Star" as follows: '.'When we solicited the immigration of the Chinese in the early seventies, it was stipulated before .doing s0 that they were to be treated on all-fours with ourselves, and form part of the community. We allow political expediency to tax bread at expense to the consumer and for the benefit of the distributors. Then, why object to the Chinese trading in vegetables and doing laundry work on a bettor principle? The late Mr Wong Tape was specially requested to bring over gardeners to teach us how to grow vegetables. Before they came we imWhrted vegetables from Australia, and little fortunes were made at the expense of the consumer."

The artful ways of the Mongolian formed the theme of a discussion by white fruiters and laundrymen in the Stock Exchange Hall at Dunedin (says the Otago Daily Times). Said one speaker, "White laundries come under the Factories Act. Regular hours are defined for the workers, and every care is taken to ensure fair conditions. But with the Chinese laundry it is all very different. Should the. inspector call at an unearthly hour when work is in full swing, John, with a face that is as the smiling face of a child, replies, ' Me no ,savvy. Alle partners here,' and a general chorus comes from the hands engaged in ironing,.the hands engaged in various steaming processes, and the hands who cart abroad the washing, 'We no savvy; we allee same partners!' And what can . the inspector do but shrug his shoulders and leave . them alone— The law has got to deal'with that partnership cry."

It has been left to a Glasgow man to make use of the resemblance between the' interior of an umbrella cover and the " canopy of heaven " for science teaching. At the exhibition of scientific' toys recently held at the Outlook Tower, Edinburgh, highest honours were awarded to Mr Duncan McEwan, M.8.A.A., Glasgow, for an " astronomical or clestial umbrella." The interior of the umbrella cover is arranged as a star map, the concavity of the' surface on which the stars are shown affording a better idea of the general relation of the constellations than can well be given on a flat surface. As a suitable apparatus for schools, the map has received the approval of eoprpetent authorities as forming, in conjunction with a guide about to be published, a complete system of instruction in astronomy for the young.

It was the best concert ever given in the town (not 100 miles from New Plymouth), so the newspaper reports said, and the promoters shook hands with themselves over the financial results. The items included selections from "The Runaway Girl," "Tho Country Girl." and other popular musical-co-medies, and these were put on with elaborate stage effects, and were a huge success. Next day, however, caw" a- telegraphic demand for £4 4s within seven days, the alternative being legal proceedings, for royalty, four of tho items being copyright. ' ' The demand rather staggered the promoters, who are now endeavouring to induce the owner of the copyrights to modify his demand, says the Taranaki Herald.

A new, hardy fruit, named the Laxton berry, is about to be sent out in England. It is' a cross between the Logan berry and the English Raspberry Superlative. The object of this "cross was to secure a sweeter fruit, and also to remove the hard core of tho j Logan berry. ' This has been successI fully done in both these points. With- > out much reducing the size, a fruit was I secured with a true raspberry flavour, the acidity of the Logan berry being much reduced; at the same time the fruit parts readily from the core. It has the Logan berry's habit of growth, being equally vigorous and hardj'.

The Ecclesiastical Commissioners of Great Britain have laid aside £250,000 for a pension scheme for poor clergymen. Of the poverty of the general body of the clergy there can be no question. It is established by, figures from workhouses and asylums, and still more firmly by the facts given by bishops from time to time of the- dire distress under which many incumbents carry on their work and endeavour to bring up their families. The smallnesr, of ecclesiastical incomes has long been a disgrace to the Church of England. _ and would be a serious danger if tho" instances were fewer in which rectors arid vicars use their private means to subserve their responsibilities. Nonconformist bodies make no ench mistake as the Church of England. They provide for, v first a. lightening of labour, and then for complete retirement. Their congregations, as well as their ministers, benefit accordingly.

A motor cyclist mot 1 more than his .match on tho-Miinuknu road the other evening. According to the Manaivatu Farmer, the rider mot some cattle, and there was at least ono of the herd that was not dismayed by the chunking of tho machine. This dauntless one was a bull, which immediately prepared for battle. The bicycle's lamp served to guide the indignant animal towards his target, and be rushed at the mark swiftly. His horns caught the front forks of the equipage, and the riderwas violently tossed from his seat. His injuries, however, did not extend beyond the shock.

Those who support municipal trading will be interested in the following facts: In "Rochdale," notwithstanding a reduction in the price of gas of 2d per 1000 ft., there was a surplus of over £16,000. The rates were'relieved to the trine of £13,000.. In Warrington the rates are relieved from municipal profits by £16,000 a year, which is euivalent to a rate of Is 7d in the £. The unusual spectacle of a rector navvying in clogs is to be witnessed at Lostock Hall, whore the congregation of St. Pauliuus Church are working every evening upon a house they are erecting in connection with Father Turner's memorial hall. Dr Mercer, the rector, who superintends opefations, is attired in old clothes and a pair of clogs. He takes his stand alongside the other workers, and weilds a pick^and shovel like a hardened artisan. It is expected that the house will be completed in October. —London Tribune.

An important scientific expedition to the Southern islands is to bo made shortly by one of the Government steamers. As far as is known at. present, the expedition will leave the Bluff at the end of October or the beginning of November. It wjll be divided into two parties. One party will go to the. Auckland Islands and the other to Campbell Island, ten days being spent on tho former and six on the latter. The trip will occupy altogether about three weeks. The Government are malriug the arrangements at the suggestion of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury.

■A Wrong Idea.—Many people erroneously believe that over-milking is the greatest danger with milking machines. The facts are that the injury was done to the cow by all previous machines while the milk was being drawn, and until Gillies hit on the principle of* ■ inletting, air alongside the teat nil through the milking, it was thought "■".Possible to overcome this drawback. \\ ith the "L.K.G." there is no'possible chance of injury to the cow during milking or at any time, even if the-cup's are left on indefinitely.—MacEwan and Co., Ltd., sole agents, Dunedin.

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