A MAORI GRIEVANCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 144, 12 March 1908, Page 8

A MAORI GRIEVANCE.

CANNOT GET LODCjNCS.

NATIVE - HOSTELRY IN WELLIisiGTON

ASKED FOR.

Tho Maori is not ordinarily a difficult por■pon--. to-.pleaso' in \tlio matter of accommoda-

tion, but from ; the story - told by Wireniu Kauiki, head chief Of tho Waitotara Natives,

to a Dominion* reporter last evening, it wcuk '.seem that. in "liis visits,..to Wellington'lib-i: corifrohtod with a problerii that needs solu-

tion.: Wiromu," who .is a dignified; grey,boarded Maori, in voicing thodisabilities under whioli Natives are' placed, in visiting this' city,: sa.id—through an intorpreter :—" I 'came-here for the sitting of the Nativo Land Council on ■ January , 25, arriving : hero on January 23. -With, me were-Natives from New . Plyriibuth, Waitara; Hawera, ' Waito-; ,tara, and ;Wanganui. Wo arrived hero, -at 7.45 p.m., and started to hunt for lodgings. I. could find-lodgings because ,1 am' wellknown, .but I'could not find any for my .-followers, i oither 'in .hotels or -boardiiig-houses-, and ais a rresult, several of. riiy followers had '.to..sleep ;on. tho Manawatu Station premises. Some of us could'not'get our cases heard, and 1 theroforo returned north. ■ ' Wo have come'-again',..and-;the■.< same.'thing -has happened. ■ When,;-; we' vcoriie-. to :Wollington we , coine with' .money;. and are able to pay our ; way,. bntj.though;that .is .tlio case,, wo are unable' to, /get;"lodgings. This- trouble has ..become so' acute ,'that I went to sc-o the Native Minister; .to-day,/ and he referred mo to ,:the. Under-Seoretary. (Mr.. Fishor),. . and . I-- pointed,'-.put;, to;. him. the ■ disabilities under whi'ch'.wo labour:-./; '.'; '

. '■ I. that at.-New "Plymouth, ■ a.. Native /hostelry: - hadbeen . .established, by' the, Government. T Mr.'- Fisher, who was D<h .puty; Public: Trustee at New-Plymouth for a long ;time, understood, tho- positionvthoroughjyj' but ■ whilb.- he sympathised- with- me said' he' wag afraid 'he- could do nothing in the matter. -'I. said: ■'You/have a Native hostelry,-in :New Plymouth, and tho only thing_thorfi-as far as. wo arc concerned is tho - Native, Land. Court sittings. Here, in Wellington- thero is an -annual meeting of tho' Houses 'of and there is a largo'attendance, of Maoris from all parts, of both islands,'..and; yet th'cso disabilities exist.. We come hero prepared to -pay for 'board and lodging, and are . unable to get them. I-have-heard, Mr. Fisher, that the late Queen-Victoria donated £7000- on her Diamond Jubilee, ■: or ■ some other historical occasion, for the benefit of the Nativo race. If--any part of-that- money- has been expended I. have not heard; of.', it, nor of tho interest that would, under ordinary circumstances, accruo. In my opinion tho Gov- 1 crnment should see,-vrhero that money is.' -• ■ /"-We .Native- chiefs have a right to come to Wellington, and aro able to>.pay our : way without ■ asking fjivours',"from anyorio, and I think' it would be for: the- Govornment to a .Native hostelry in-, this .city, where ;tho Natives spend such large sums of money, annually.;; : - ' " I'want 'to -add," said Wiremu emphatically,. " that ■! want- this to appear in tho public Press, i so; that tho; Government • may see it and'say-\' By Jove! The Maoris have a genuine grievarifco at last!' "