THE MAORI LEARNS A LESSON.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 127, 21 February 1908, Page 8

THE MAORI LEARNS A LESSON.

COMBINATION WANTED. . PROPOSAL TO FORM, A NATIVE'S ASSOCIATION. . (By Ono Of fclio Race.) ' " ' ' Thero. .is .at present, in process of , formation, an , Association of tho Nativo raco of New- Zealand. ' All sections of tlio-European people are banding .themselves together, in societies or unions, fqr mutual protection and advancement; the Maori alone is playing single-handed,, in tho struggle for existence. But now ho too, realises, that without unity, ho must bo left,'behind in the march of niodbrii progress. Upwards of ono thousand letters havo : been- addressed to-.influential Maoris, ' in.-various parts of- tho Dominion, inviting them to attend at a cohforcnco, at ;Wanganui, oil tho 2-lth of tho present month, for the purposo of. forming tho Association'. I Oho of tho main objccts of tho Association, and ono that will represent a. burning question in tho near future, is tho natural desire of tho Maori to exerise control over his own lands. -Tho Maori strongly, protests against the severe and repressive legislation that is being-forced upon him year by year by tho Legislature, and tho hurried manner ill which it.is passed; generally at tho last breath of a dying. Parliament; and without any reference to the opinions of the Maoris themselves. It is aptly remarked , that tho Natives now aro not tho Natives of fifty years ago; but havo tho advantage of education and ; contactwith the.pakoha; they havo fallen in with European ways and customs;.', they aro by training well- behaved; and in mind and in mannors are fast becoming tho same. ■ Oil land or sea, train or steamer, town or country, tho Maori must conform with the law. of tho land and good, citizenship just tho'sanio as any other subject of the King. Yet, in regard to tho control over his own lands, ho is'declared by the law to bp incapaablc... Ho, is treated like'a child,- unable to tako. care of himself. ■ His lands ; aro so hampered, and tied up by restrictions, regulated by cumbersome Court proceedure and tho' tedium of tho Maori. Board, which ignorant, though perhaps ; well-meaning, legislators have placed there, that tho Maoris -aro being' impoverished; and Native enterprise is being killed by tho very measures; taken-to coriservo and encourage -Maori, industry. . If :a Maori wishes to lease or raise, money on his surplus lands with : which to work his' other lioldjng's, '.the processes aro so elaborate,-that it takes him ono or two years to get' liis-deeds:through tho various', stages: tho Nativo Land , Court, tho Maijri Board, and the' Cabinet. In somo eases it''has taken four'and live years to negotiate'a simple trausrer. ■ .

Tho Maori has iio. desire to part with tlio wholo.of his lands slid'leave' himself and his family penniless or homeless; ho merely asks to have the managemont of his surplus lands so that he may be able to procure' a livelihood for his children; or. reap some-benefit therefrom.; Hp wanjs to bo able to put his transactions, through 'in'a few , days, Jiko ; tho Europeans.- He does not want to wait six : months for a sitting of. tho Land Court, or to chaso a Maori Land Board all over tho country l to got; his deeds passed; .nor does ho like, sitting on tho Native Minister's door step, two years to get his lease heard by the Cabinet. All that ho wants is ' to be placed on the same piano as his'follow, man. .Ho asks to be freed from-tli'o oppression of laws which govern his lands, .and tho administration which now! exists to the detriment of tho race. . "

i . Iho intention of the Association is' not to hinder, but rather' to ehcourago tho individual, in tho Maori; to foster in him a desire to till, his! land and' bccomo a successful farmer. Tho Association hopes to do'this in a way that will conduce, not only to his prosperity,, but •also to .raiso the Maori in tho scalo of civilisation. -•