MAORI GRIEVANCES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 68, 19 March 1908, Page 2

MAORI GRIEVANCES.

GOVERNOR AND PREMIER AT NGART-AWAffIA. (By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) NGARUAWAHIA", this day. The Governor, accompanied by the Premier and Mr. Carroll, arrived at eleven this morning, and, preceded by the Mahuta Band, drove to the historical ground fringing the Waikato river, where the natives on two previous occasions have held conferences with Governors Brown and P'ergusson. Some fifteen hundred natives assembled, including a contingent from Waharoa. The Governor's party was greeted with hakas of welcome, performed by about two hundred men and women. Mahuta and Mr. Tlenare Kaihau presented addresses of welcome, and this ceremony was followed by the presentation of kiwi, korowai. i and raitake mats. Mahuta next extended personal greetings to the Governor and his chief. Mr. lienare Kaihau welcomed' the Governor to Ngaruawahia. He then referred to the attempts of the Maori people to obtain redress for the confiscation of their lands and to the sense of injustice under which they laboured respecting the carrying out of the terms of the Treaty of 'U'aitangi. Regarding their land the Maoris desired it to stand in a. like position to Europeans' land. Land was the parent of all people, and grew that which courished the people. He asked that a quarter of the Maori land be set apart for the use of the Maori people. The natives felt sure the King would give them redress. IJis Excellency the Governor said he hoped their deliberations would bring matters to a successful conclusion. He left them to settle with the Government as the only way to agree and settle amicably. He thanked them for their welcome, and wished them ail well. The Premier advised the. Maoris to do the same ar the Europeans did, to give and take, and the solution of their difficulties would follow. He felt sure the , Maoris were in earnest in trying to effect a compromise in what was the real difficulty. It was no use wasting further time. The Government was not going to mislead them by any impossible promises. They should say what they could do, and what they thought the Maoris should do. He would help them in every way possible. Mr. Hone Heke said that the universal desire of the natives was that they Ehould have control of all their lands, and that all sales should cease. He advised Maoris that if they came under the same Uvws as the pakeha they would have to pay the same rates. The Maoris would not desire such similarity. Jf the Maoris were able to sell all their lands they very soon would have' none. An adjournment was then made for luncheon. The Governor left in the afternoon for Auckland. The Premier goes on to-night to Rotorua. and leaves to-morrow for Tauranga. The Hon. Mr. Carroll remains tonight at Ngaruawahia.