NGAI-TAHU CLAIM

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23971, 11 June 1943, Page 3

NGAI-TAHU CLAIM

FINANCE MINISTER’S STATEMENT DISCUSSION BY MAORI ASSOCIATION The recent statement of the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) when introducing the Budget that preliminary investigations were being made into all* outstanding Maori land claims v/ith a view to settlement, was characterised as “political propaganda” by Mr Vernon Thomas, chairman of the Christchurch NgatiOtautahi Maori Association, at a meeting on Wednesday. The present Government, Mr Thomas said, had made a definite promise concerning the settlement of the Ngai-Tahu claim in 1935, and again in 1938, but now. on the eve of another election, talked of ‘‘preliminaries.” It was suggested by Mr John Stewart that the association should congratulate the Minister on his declaration, and point out that as a Royal Commission had reported favourably on the Ngai-Tahu claim many years ago, it should be the first to receive consideration. Captain H. Pohio warned those who favoured this suggestion that “it was an extremely delicate matter,” and, after some discussion, the proposal was withdrawn. “As one of the ‘shareholders’ in this claim,” said Captain Pohio. “I am definitely against any expression of opinion coming from this meeting. This is not the place. The claim concerns the whole of this island.” If any comment was to be made, he added, it should come from the properly constituted runungas, or village councils, of the people’ most directly concerned. “You must be careful how you speak or move,” he concluded. Mr Thomas made it clear that he did not speak as chairman of the association.' “If I was not of opinion that this statement is merely election propaganda I would be in hearty accord with it,” he said. “But it crops up regularly in connexion with the Budget.”

Patent Regulations.—The general effect of the amended Patents. Designs, Trademarks, and Copyright Emergency Regulations, gazetted last night, is to tighten up trading with the enemy regulations, so far as patent rights are concerned, and to bring the New Zealand regulations into line with the amended regulations in Britain.— P.A.