THE MAORI ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 260, 27 July 1908, Page 11

THE MAORI ASSOCIATION.

.■ • ... " ... .' r ' ; Jr, FINAL MEETING. ■ The Maori ;Association has not been-idle ■ :Biiice,its recent conference, and its final meeting was held on .Friday mijrnmg,' the> presi- .:. dent, Mr. -To Heuheu Tukino, " being 111 the chair. '• \ \ ' •_y Tlie' President' read the findings of,the Confefence'!ohVthe: ?ari6us;inatteiV, discussed^:- , ; s The Native Minister' (tho Hon. J.. Carroll) a ■ speech.'.he vreftindeilhis. hearers that if the' Nativp-lands | : . 'had..been open all -along to : . private purchase - tljg\:Natives' : would probably : not now .'have! /onyr-land ,dt all. i,. As*:to the: cohiplaint- about — ; 'deliy, - caused by 'the 'imposition of restric- ', ; turns, ho : pointed out that'tho-Pakeha, who had' had long expe'rience iii business matters, was: far- more - : shrewd than 1 tho 'Maori, ;and- ■ .that;;but; : forjthe : restrictions:aridithe' inquiry' .invplved in 'any, alienation :tlie_ Native- would . Belli'liis.'lahd ffr'st clever-Pakeha.at, a -lo.iV'; price,^and-..n0.t.; only. that, but ;in. 'the .' .flb'sehcb'iof'theLiiecessary; inquiry the/Maori . .would probably'-'leave ihiraself and- those, dependent upon liinrlandless.;' Ho wished to . see ■:the: 'Natives profitably ! occupied on their . own lands.. The ,6overninent were considering a-system"'of 'advances to.bdna fide Maori. , settlers, but ~if'-the}'.; V/ished . to assist' the:. . Government; -• iin■ ■' this direction to'shtiw* that .they. w-ere bccoming inore. and more resource-' ful, industrious; .and self-reliant. He referred ■•..to the .institution of Maori Land Boards, , which i.did away : with a great deal of the de- ; layj to;.the old >system;::, The. Maori . ; could :n'oiy'; vest his land jn' the Board: for sale' ■ or,lease., the . «h't'isflett itsfilf 'that ■ :.'the;<i9^'-w^<|ijr,^ffia^li|^j^&Te®t l had other'- Jaiids' for ' fiis ■ ownMivingV' the: fendor could then place his.Jdnd in the open.market., , Surely ;system'. iwas 'quitoi enough . for thosij ,wlio ';,were:clamoUrihg - • i ■' The.-;Miriister! : ' concluded by."' exhorting * the ' attention:to, sanitation'."'. He had ;heard icomplaints' thait' ; tbe ; 'Govern'm'ent could.,gov-.to the -Boards-and -purchase" land, but.afrit- was. desired:'to -.pliicera- block .'of landrin the-market,.'it'would have to be cut up into'* suitable areas,-, and it- would'require to ; be'.n)adod,' aiid where could-they get the , funds?'VThe Government'would 'buy tho, . Native' inferest-.at a fair valuation,, pay .the moneyHjo the :Board, ! and thus create a fund which would enable the Board to cut' up and road tho and place it on the open . Surely that was in .the interests of the owners, .and everybody concerned;