LAND FOR MAORI SOLDIERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 167, 14 July 1916, Page 7

LAND FOR MAORI SOLDIERS.

SCHEME BY NATIVE MEMBERS. XATIVE LAND POLICY DISCUSSED. jßj Telegraph*—Parliamentary Beporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The tabling of the report of the Native land Courts and Maori Land Boards this afternoon started a lengthy discussion on the subject of preserving native land for native enterprise, special emphasis being laid by .Mr. Ngata, who started the debate, by urging the need of earmarking a certaing quantity of native land for the benefit of discharged Maori eoldiers. He remarked that, owing to various causes, it had been forced on the aiaori representatives during the last three or four weeks that they should ask their own people to make provision for returned Maori soldiers, as far as possible, in the shape of land. Mr. Ngata pointed out that under present native land laws this course would ,be difficult, but he explained that Maori landowners could have the proposition put to them in such a way as to render them bound to sell land to the Crown for the special purpose of settlement by Maori soldiers. Certain enlarged powers to Native Laud! Boards would be necessary in order to have areas of native land set aside for this patriotic purpose, and greater facilities have to be giveu to returned Ulaori soldiers than at present existed. Jlr, Ngata also explained that people in iis district also proposed to buy or lease ifann stock, and devote the profits from a farm to the benefit of discharged aiaori soldiers, but a good deal of difficulty lay in the way by Government's jmcompromising attitude towards native 'tmstees. Mr. Jennings stated that he was alarmed at the quantity of native land alienations regularly gazetted. Mr. Hornsby remarked upon the strange spectacle of a native member laving to plead in Parliament for small pieces of land for native soldiers. Jin, Poole expressed the opinion that it was a pity that the Maoris did not Jiave more advisers like Mr Ngata, who iad done so much for the benefit of his race, and to develop self-help and industry among them. Subsequent discussion developed into one respecting the general treatment of the native land question, and of the aggregation of Maori lands by Europeans. The Minister, in his reply to a statemeat made by Mr. Jennings, that one man had acquired a block of 13.000 acres in bis district, expressed doubt as to the possibility of such a transaction. Members were continually denouncing the iniquity of allowing natives to sell their lands, said Mr. Herries, but Parliament had tried all sorts of systems. Up io 1594 free trade had been recognised; tlen, in 1896, free trade was abolished.. and only Crown purchases wer allowed: •rchile in 1900 even this was stopped, and the door was closed entirely. Such a condition became intolerable, and in 1905 slight ease was given by allowing lease to be applied for, but in 1009 the House practically unanimously reopened tie whole question, and opened native lands both to private purchasers and to purchase by the Crown. Since then that lad been the professed policy in flis country. Tk> Minister contended that the old " taihoa " policy had been nee of the greatest causes of complaint. Tlroughont the North Island he believed that a Main Trunk line would lave been a good thing for the Dominion and for the natives themselves, if, before tie line had been built, the Government lad purchased native lands all round it at fair prices. A LANDED GENTLEMAN. Dr. Pomare amused Parliament with a story of how Taranaki natives who Joaght against their own kith and kin vear 3 ago were rewarded by the pakeha. Tley got four acres of land each for tleir services. This being insufficient to live upon, they failed to" occupy it, and adjoining pakeha farmers ran sheep and cattle on the land. After some years toe pakehas took advantage of a British law passed 400 years ago. giving them prescriptive rights enabling them to take over the loyal natives' four-acre sections (Laughter.) Jfe Kgata: They did not give our men Dr. Pomare: "No, they gave your men cask I understand it was left to a cerT/ 0 but 111 say no more about that." Dr. p O m are added onlpfl" 116 ° f the Eur who "acquired some of the Maori four-acre plots recently had occasion to sign his daughter's raarnage renter in the space « _i° fil!e hls OCCT pation. He wrote but ' added Dr ' Pomare. I *md laughter, "h e gpeUed it with a 'J. '•' i