MR PARATA AT KAIAPOI.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7422, 23 September 1889, Page 6

MR PARATA AT KAIAPOI.

Mr Tamate Parata, M.H.R. for the Southern Maori electoral district, met the Natives ot the Kaiapoi Pa at the Runanga House on Friday evening (Wi Nahira occupying the chair) when he gave a resume of the work done during the last session of Parliament as' affecting the Maori race. He had obtained the promi-e- of Government that Judge' Mackay would forthwith undertake to complete the certificates for land at Kaiapoi and Murihiku, granted by the Lands Court of 1887. The Government had declined to grant to Natives a repeal of the Stamp Act in respect of their leases. Upon the.question of leases, he understood the Government would take some step to control the letting of the lands on the payment of rent iv advanoe, which was a proceeding which he recognised as doing harm to many of their people, and since the Hon. J. Tancred was dead, through whom their leases used to pass before execution, he believed the Government might appoint the Rev. J. W. Stack in his place. Relative to the Temuka Native reserves, burialgrounds, and eel weirs, steps were to be taken to prosecute the surveys, and subdivisional sections, for this and other reserves in the South Island. ' The West* land and Nelson reserves bad received attention by the Committees of both Houses, which sat on the Middle Island Native Land Claims. The Minister for Lands had " informed him that no special selection of lands had yet been made for half-castes, but the Crown Laud Commissioners of Canterbury and Otago had been appointed to make the selections and push the matter of their allotment forward without delay, He had drawn attention to the necessity for placing the trustees of minors appointed by the Land Courts in a proper position iq respect of their trusts. He had also not overlooked the matter of dealing with applications for succession without waiting for the -Land Courts, and possibly a change would be effected in this direction. All the 1 Native petitions left over last session had been brought forward this, and he . proceeded to explain the result of those which interested the people locally, stating • that che petition of Rev. G. P. Mutu and other* had been referred by the Native Affairs Committee to the favorable consideration of the Government. He referred to the several Native Bills before the House, as'd particularly to the Native Lands Frauds Prevention Bill, the provisions of which he explained. Mr Parata replied to a number of questions.' .- A vote of thanks, proposed by Te Uki, sconded by Hone Make, was carried. The hon. member's address lasted tare§ hours. -