LAND FOR MAORIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 257, 31 October 1933, Page 11

LAND FOR MAORIS.

Your correspondent "Urewera" in upholding Mrs. Ruby Watson's protest against any further destruction of the Urewera forest, and condemning .the continuation of such as "needless folly," remarked that "there ie so njuch other land crying out for men to come and work it!" I notice that not one of your correspondents —'though. each ready enough with his condemnations and criticisms—offered through any personal effort or sacrifice, some means by which these Maoris could be justly compensated fdr complying with their wishes. (Mrs. Wateon kindly referred to the Government.) As for the land that is "crying out for men to come and ~.vork it," would "Urewera" be good enough to inform me what land or lands he is referring to? Is it by any chance some of his own? Perhaps it. may be Crown or native land? If, however, your "forest enthusiasts" happen to be some of the owners, then what is to prevent them from "offering" to the Maoris of Urewera just and suitable acreage in exchange for their beautiful bush? Failing that, of course, they have the alternative of offering to purchase this Maori property, or, better still, purchasing some other to give them {providing they are agreeable) in exchange. If it is Crown land and the Government does consent to give suitable land to these Maoris in place of their bush) what guarantee would we have that the Government would not —either in the near , or perhaps distant future—do the verjisame 'thing- that the Maoris are now doing? (Mrs. Euhy Watson reminded us that only a few weeks ago the Government called tenders to cut down all the mata'i, rimu and other trees in the Mangatmuka Gorge.) If such happens to be native land, however, I think there are few, if any. Maoris possessing lands over and above"that •which they, their children and grandchildren need, to give, sell or lease any of it to others. Any idle native land would tisually be found to have "numerous" owners, and'the non-working of it would mainly be due to insufficient funds. However, if your forest enthusiasts are really sincere in their purpose— and one would like to think so—now lis a splendid opportunity of showing it, by displaying perhaps a. ;i little of. those "rangatira" qualities that hitherto have beep mostly exercised by the Ma'oris in giving suitable land (not Crown land, unless especially purchased) in exchange for this beautiful forest, and thereby not only gaininar for all time their objective, but also by such action doing the country some good. PARE TAMIHANA.