NATIVE LANDS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 165, 6 April 1908, Page 9

NATIVE LANDS.

i — ... THE WAHAROA MAORIS' SCHEME OF . SUB-DIVISION. • MINISTER SEEKS DETAILS. BY TELEGRAMI —SPECIAIi COEP.ESPOXDENT. Auckland, April 4. On Thursday last the Na'tivo .Minister was cordially received at Wabaroa- by Tangakawa and his people. The visit--was-in response to .■in invitation by the chief that Mr. Carroll should go and havo a. final review of the position. On reaching tho Marae, the korero started by the chief addressing himself to tho Minister, To Heulieu, and' Mr. Ngata in turn. Tangakaira dwelt on the vanishing hopes of the Maoris.' They stil.lj he-said,- cluiig-to thepossibility of something'being--evolved akin, to their aspirations. Tho feeling had not died out of tho Maori mind of obtaining something to merit' their actions throughout tho long past. JiVen ,if.they failed utterly there was no harm in this last effort to.ventilate their grievances and, put forward their claims. Tho long-pent forces- must be allowal to evaporate, 'i'his was the last appeal on behalf of his people. It was well known that the Maori hail always. Iqoked in tho direction of England for redress;/the alternative being the " tireal Council LLoqse at tho, head of the tish." Ho was- loyal to his, word expressed tile other day at Ngaruawahia on.tho occasion ,of the Governor and the Government being present, when he, said:-"-Let , this day end the past. Let us-.-all, join-together .and be.ono under the law.'',...Vutti; regard .to the lands owned by his own people, they dqsired to' administer them themselves,- t-o . set-apart their own reserves, to <Sut,;up. suitable, sections which they might; farm,-and to : lease' the balance. They were averso -t-o - selling.hi this he spoke for his own tribc. ; They had not too much land to.spare for that,purpose. They wished tho. law to. help them in their endeavours to improve their estates and -better themselves. ' ' ' v. To Heuheu and Mr....iNgata delivered eloquent and masterly speeches in reply, pointing out tho lines of demarcation' which* dis-* tinguished tho past, from, t-ho. present.., They spoke .of the forces that wcro at present lying _ was,to in the younger generation of Maoris, every unit of which represented sbiiib degree of forco and energy "flfhieli was- 1 not' being applied to its land or', lis'ed for utility purposes. The Maori raco'was suspended on tho strings' of long-fostered, expectancy that - something! might yet cionfo' from'.'the" cl'oudi' They had nothing to'-sayyagainst' the old school. There wero onany''features in'tlieir' persistence which claimed admiration.' They' were quito prepared to.let the old'sqhool.live; in the past, so long as -it-'was'iiiot 'at'tlie sacrifice of the great potehtials'whiclrexisted' in the.younger generation'. ' Rather than hurt the feelings or the older"':party,' -.thej gested a compromise. - - The younger peopToshould' bo allowed to go" on; to the land- and work it, and make it fr'uitful'and productive;' Tho land would bo prolific if they availed themselves of the facilities and equipments which modern 'science afforded-'in tho way of agriculture. They :wc'rc certain ! th'at-ill 'a very short time tho results would bring' honid to the older : generation'' that,/it';; whs -better they should- turn their' backs t'oVtlio dead past and realiso that the: world waV ever 'spin-' liirig down t-ho ringing'grooves,of 1 change':''; •• Tho -Minister also addressed 7 the Maoris on similar lines, and concluded' •by asking, :thb chief and his people to'.'supply him' with-a schedule-of all the lands in 'their' possession," showing in what way they proposed to 1 deal with 'them,' either by reservation, self-farin-' ing, leasing, or any other form of distribution, a's ho (the Minister) , wished to' havo' all the Maori lands of the country-tabulated as far as possible, showing-,their area, how they wero held, and iu what "way each block : was to be.dealt with. In this.connection,'if they -had not already -mips in- their -possess- 1 ion. lie would supply what thev reouired. : Tho.chief stated that they practically arranged all their blocks,'' and- thcl' : mamie'r in which they wero to-bo cut up. '-The information asked, for by tho Minister would 1 bo submitted to him shortly. s, ';*!"v '

(by. TEir.auA.rn—press- association.) "■* Auckland, April 5. : The Hon. James Carroll,'' Native .'Ministerj will probably remain in Auckland 1 for two or thrco days, as it ds probable thai ho may yet visit tho North of Auckland before lie returns to Wellington.'' Tho Nativo Minister has ..boon asked to a' ' meeting'' of Maoris in tho North for' the" purposo of discussing tho land question, and' Wishes to clo so, provided suitable dates caTi .bo 'arrariged.