ONE RACE, ONE LAW

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 56, 25 February 1913, Page 2

ONE RACE, ONE LAW

WANGANUI. 1-V-b. % ■? Hon. W, H. Herries (Native ju 18. fcer) delivered an important spee'i, nHit at .Jerusalem, on the \\ River, where he had been paying n his capacity of Native M Ulster, most sinking portion of h.s speech VP ■lis frequent re]>et.tu>n of the fact t i*HK ..he future |>oliey ot the would bo one race, one law, and tWiUHf aim would be to bring the psikeli j mtive together ui one race oi \,, w ande.rs. instead of keening them .ate. The Maoris brought a list of grievances under the notic,, the Minister, and renlv thereto Mr (j ics made several interesting monts. He sa d that he hoped to 1m? able to effect an ainalgairmtji^Ki l of the Maori land boards with the live Land Court, believing that ;is as administration was concerned would lie more satisfactory than present system. At the same tune, f wising to acknowledge the good t wliicli had been done hj" all the l a boards. He foreshadowed legislation t . enable the natives to get tlie titles . their lands more easily and more lv .than under tlx- present system, thu.fH enabling them-to borrow money on 1 ter terms for the purpose of 'levelo^Bß- < In reply to a request for a in death dutw-s, Mr Herries indicated , hope of these being reduced, either j,H; the case of the Maori or the pnkeha, Thm cutting off of eultivatulde U n ,]Hr for scenic purposes, which is a stand'iig grievance, will be st<i|i|h.,| and only ground unsuitable for thill- else will be set aside in this wait.H. An interesting point cropped up in nection with the desire of the Maori Land Hoard's tenants to olituiH: the freehold of their leases. The asked that sales of Maori lands mutHv in boards lie prevented, and the Minis. tor in reply said that he would not k-ipH towards any such sales unless it \ym» to the boards or the Government, audH he would always set this fact against the compulsory sale of land, except tor|H public works. A vote of thanks andH confidence was carried. H