THE MAORI LAND QUESTION.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12593, 8 September 1906, Page 5

THE MAORI LAND QUESTION.

The South Island Maoris have been busily discussing the Epseches reported in the Press on the native land proposals. On Thursday in the main street at Tuahiwi and in theMaahanui Maori Council Chamber groupe were gathered who were trying to arrive at some idea of how the Government intended to deal finally with the claims of the South Island natives.

Mr T. E. Green, chairman of the Maahabui Council, seem by. a "Press" representative on the question, said the Maoris had received no copies of the Bill, and on behalf of the Council he was telegraphjng to Mr T. Parata, M.H.R., for copies. The quantity of land set aside for the Maoris was, he considered, very small compared with .the amount required, and many Maoris who bad land which they could not utilise by reason of the isolation of the several parcels, were yet prevented, as holders of 50 acrce, irom applying for any of the n#w reserves. In his own case he might have about 50 acres of land altogether, but there was five acres here, five acres there, and so on, some at Kaiapoi, come at Oxford and Birch Hill, and so on, from which the rents were only nominal. It was clear to anyone that ho could not cultivate profitably so many small *ection« so far apart as twenty to tihrrty miles. The land, he thought, should be apportioned according to valuation rather than on an acreage system. He did not see how a fresh allotment of all Maori land could ever be made, but agreed that a system which put a hapu or family in possession of adjacent blocks which they might farm in partnership had a good deal in ite favour. He was of opinion that those who had been urging the additional grants should receive some compen.'iation in. land for the contributions made by them to the fund to prosecute the land claims. Many had impoverished themselves and some cf the old men had to take th-a old ago pension, while others had died of grief at the prospect of starvation in old age, because they had spent so much in paying to the fund. Tta chiefs also, he thought, were entitled to some consideration.