NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 207, 1 September 1893, Page 3

NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS.

DEBATED IN THE HOUSE,

SECOND READING CARRIED,

(by. telegraph—parliamentary

REPORTER.)

Wellington, this day. The evening sitting of tho House of Representatives was set apart for consideration of tho Native Land proposals of_ the Government, in pursuance of the Ministerial plan of classifying buaineas for the remainder of the seeßion. The first) meusure brought under review was the Native Land Purchase and Acquisition Bill, tho second reading of which was moved by the Hon. J. MeKenzie. In doing so the Minister explained that the object of the measure was to open up and render more productive large areas of native lands in the North Island, which were now locked up to the hindrance of settlement. It was impossible such a state of affairs Bbould be allowed to contiuue, and this Bill was designed to facilitate settlement of these lands. He corrected an erroneous impression which had gainod ground that this measure proposed to acquire native lands conipul-sorily. The fact was that the natives had the option of selling or leasing their lauds, and, if they chose to do neither, there was no proposal to compel them. Ho admitted that one clause might be read so as to imply compulsion, but that was nob intended, and the clause would be altered in Committee so as to make it perfectly clear. He explained the provisions lucidly and lengthily, and hoped no opposition would be offered to the Bill, which was designed to give the North Island a fresh etart ahead. In particular he couneelled the natives not to ask to have this Bill delayed till next year. Ib would be referred to the Native Aiiaivs Commicteo, and tho representatives of the native nice would then have an opportunity of amending the Bill, which, he added, vvaa more largely due to the Hon. Mr Carroll thau himself.^

CRITICISM OF THE BILL

Captain Russell started criticism of the Bill by deprecating the bringing down of such a measure at a period of the sebßion when it could nob be thoroughly considered. He wished the Government to carry out its motto and truab the Maori people. Indeed, he questioned if Parliament had power to legislate in the direction proposed, as it would have the effect of taking away the rights of the natives granted under the Treaty of Waitangi.

REVIEW OF THE PROPOSAL

Next came Mr Mitchelson with a moderate review of the proposal. He carefully poiabed oub detail.objecbionß, and promised

to supporb the second reading. He held bhab the Bill ought) to have been circulated in bhe Maori language among all the natives interested in land before being discussed in Parliament. He feared it would operate compulsoiily.

NOT A COMPULSORY MEASURE.

"No," aaid the Premier, who followed with a brief but forcible speech. "It is intended to be voluntary, and voluntary it shall be." He expressed pleasure ab Mr Mitchelson's remarks, and said these must be re-assuring to the native members of the House.

ATTITUDE OF THE NATIVE MEMBERS.

Mr Kapa, member for the Northern Maori disbrict, jumped up to tell the House he was far from feeling re-assured. He could nob believe the Bill was nob intended to becompulaory. The Premier hadnodoubb been explicit enough in his statement, but other well-informed gentlemen bad told him the measure would operate compulsorily, and who was he to believe. His voice was for taihoa. There was no need to compel the natives in this matter, for they had never ceased selling their lands to the Government. There was " hear, hear" from the Opposition benches, when Kapa went on to refer to the recent "shametul Lundon case," and to allege that this Bill would in operation illustrate the Biblical story of Ahab and Nabobh'a vineyard. He would oppose the Bill, for he considered the poverty of the Maoris was due to obnoxious laws passed by Parliament.

AN ABLE ADDRESS,

Sir Robert Sbout next claimed the attention of the House. He said he would reserve his detailed criticism till the Bill was before the Native Affairs Committee, but would now lay down the general principles upon which native land legislation should proceed. They should remember that the land was everything to the Maoris, and should deal much more kindly with natives than Europeans. While complimenting the Minister for Lands on the able and fair manner in which he had laid these proposals before the Houbo, he pointed out that whatever of good was in this measure was copied from the Native Land Bill of 1886, and whenever it) departed from lines of that Bill it was unjust to tho natives. Ho summarised the provisions of the measure now before House, of which he expressed general approval.

HOSTILE CRITICISM

The Hon. Richardson who took up the debate could see nothing good in the Bill, which he declarod to be unjust from start to finish. Its chief defect, according to him, was that it did not allow Maoris to sell bheir lands to private purchasers aba fair price to be fixed by a Board.

A VIGOROUS DEFENCE of the measure was offered by Mr Robort Thompson, who pointed out that the provisions with regard to payment ot surveys and roads on native lands was exactly the same as those proposed in dealing with the Cheviot Estate. " Trust the people" in the matter of Maori lands would mean bo trust the natives to be robbed and plundered, as in tho past, by private speculators and land jobbers. What was wanted was to eet tha Maori to trusb bhe Government, or to remove the native suspicion of European interference with their lands.

Speaking to a bare quorum, Mr Buchanan continued the debate, contending that this Bill would increaso instead of allay native suspicion. To him succeeded Tiiipua, who declared himself an uncompromising opponent of the measure, and be proceeded to criticise its provisions at length. He ironically thanked tho Government for proposing to compel the Maoris bo lease their lands for 999 years, and expressed sincere gratitude that the term was not to bo a thousand years.

ATTITUDE OF THE OPPOSITION,

The Loader of the Opposition took objection to a remark of Mr Houston, who said that tho Opposition had obstructed native legislation. Obstruction had been very far from their thoughts. They were only anxious to understand the proposals of the Government in the matter of native legislation. He considered that the House approached native ailairs under great difficulty. Thero was no Native Minister, no chief judge of the Native Land Court, no under secretary for Native Affairs to look after native matters, which had consequently been allowed to go adrift. Tho natives had good ground for complaining that they had not been consulted earlier in the session about these native Bills, but he hoped thab their representatives in the House would not lose heart. There were many members in the Hoiiße willing and anxious to help them in auy way they could. For his1 part he did not believe thab any one desired to make this a party question.

MR CADMAN IN REPLY,

The Hon. Mr Cadman explained the general intentions of the measure, aud instanced cases in which it v/ould prove of great advantage to the natives, besides throwing open valuable tracts of land for settlement. There were two elates of natives, those who could take care of themselves and those who could not. It was the duty of the Government to take care of these tatter, and tho Bill was brought in for the purpose of doing so. The views of the rion. Carroll went beyond the Bill, but he believed that ib could bo made a workable and good measure. His recipe for the settlement of the whole question was to sandwich native settlement between Europeans. Only by bringing him into close contact with tho European could the Maori be raised in the industrial and social scale. Tho groat object waa to got the naoives to sell their surplus land. Mr Shera thought tlmb the Bill wbb a decided advance in the interests of sotblement, and that the race of natives ought to have power to sell, lease, or use their land, and it-should be made impossible for any Minister for native affairs to traffic in native land. He looked forward to a day not far distant when the native would be given equal rights with his European brother.

Mr Houston supported the measure, and, although he did nob conceal his opinion thab many important and necessary changes could be made in it,

Mr Kelly also expressed his intention of doing allin hia powerto aid in improving the Bill when in the Native A Hairs Committee. He thought thab the natives should be given a free hand in the disposal of their lands. All land beyond what the Government mighb want for settlement; should bo loft with them to deal as they thought n't.

The Hon. McKenzie then replied, and the Bill passed ifca second reading.

I am given to understand thab very exteDsive alterations will be made in the Bill by the Native Affairs Committee.