A MAORI GRIEVANCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 148, 17 March 1908, Page 10

A MAORI GRIEVANCE.

QUESTION OF NATIVE LODCINCS. MINISTER'S REPLY CRITICISED. Wo received a visit last evening from Wiremu Kauika, chief of tho Waitotara natives, who wished to say something about the, Nativo Minister's reply to. the coniplaint'as to lodgings for Maoris in, Wellington. Wiremu (through tho medium of 'an interpreter) said• "I have seen the reply of tho Hon. Nativo Minister to my complaint about accomodation for natives when they como to Wellington at. great expense oil "business,, out of which the ' Government makes so much money, and I am rather" surprised at tho attitude ho adopts. Ho says, arid -quite' truly, that there are..'certain ' hotels-' at which ;we natives can find accommodation, and there is no one who knows better than our Native Minister the places he speaks of, but as ( I have already said that on previous occasions when I have come to Wellington and'proceeded to tho ' certain ' hotels; mentioned,'! have failed to find the necessary accommodation. Not only this, but lam further surprised to learn from the NativeMinister himself that lie, thinks '-certain? hotels.. are proper domiciles for old men, old' women, and mothers with children, whoso attendance in Wellington in connection with the Native Land Court an d Parliament is at times absolutely essential. - - . f Our Native Minister tells me in his reply that these,' certain ' hotels are proper places for the aged and very , young. I did not think he would commit himself-'to such a statement as this, for in my opinion they are most unsuitable for these of my people. 'It is .all very well'for tho Native. Minister to say that sometimes Europeans fail to find accommodation in hotels. This surely is 011 very rare occasions such as the visit of the Duke and Duchoss of York. .Our Native Minister knows that such places as he mentions are very, very few—two, three at the outsido —and on the occasions of which I speak I entirely failed to get accommodation. Our Nativo .Minister' says that tho establishment of a hostelry in Wollington is quite unnecessary, ■ and would not pay- its way. I can bring forward evidenco of'independent citizens of Wellington to prove that during tho last eight years, they have,, from timo to 'time, been put to a great deal of trouble to find lodgings for their, native friends during sittings of-.the. Nativo Laiid Court and Parliament. I know To Hcu Heu Ttikino, one'of our most powerful'-chiefs, has given up his own room to his nativo friends who conld not, find-lodgings, because he was well-known,'' and oould'.'get; accommodation elsewhere. ,

"I certainly insist that we Natives should get hotter treatment this when it incurs expense, :so much of ;which goes . into 'the, pockets of ( the Government.' *

THAT £7000. ;i.'' I drew attention- to a matter given. .out on, the occasion, of our. late worthy Queen Victoria's Diamond.'' Jubilee respecting a grant of , £7000 for the'benefit of tho-.Native people. I .understood there .was;,only one £7000. I ain surprised to learn that'our. Native Minister informs us.that it is. an anniuil grant. to ; the' natives r qf New.'Zealand..fi'om tho;lmperial Government: ■ I would.ask -our Nativo Minister how many native .chiefs jn Now.Zealand'know 'this? I, for, one, .know. noW| for I.have extracted it Nativo. Minister. .1 What I want, to say.-'isvthis :.,-AVe arc told that the finances''6f New. Zealand are '<simply magnificent,'.'andiyet.we 1 have been ignorant,of the fact-tliat the Government receives £7000 annually for the benofit of tho Wc were quite; ignorant 'of this until yesterday, 'v. , , ... V . , , "I not press this;' -I simply-say: Our Minister' accounts for annual expenditure of £3000 (of tho £7000), and ho appears to climb over himself, in trying to account for the disposition of tlie balance—dis- 1 bursements to Maori pensioners an'cl Maoris. ', How 'many Maori "pensToiiers : are? there dependent • on- the bounty 0^ ;.ernmentr:', Will'our-,Native Miriis,ter! l sti]sly;' me with, a list of names and,the amount pf. : their pensions? Will lie also inform us ; how many, indigent, cases have been-relieved during all the year's. he.-informs'-'usHhei' Giovernment has been receiving this money ,frpm the Imperial Government, and what they have cost ? When ,he has done that, will he tell me how much ihformatioh'heiwants'as'Ho -tlio. requirements of, tho Natives who frequently have, to come to'-Wellington, and if ho could not, apart .from the 'simply'; magnificent' wealth of tho Dominion,, . spare ■ at least £7000 out of the foreign capital received for the benefit of the Natives in providing for' them a comfortable homo in SVellington." ,'