MEASURES FOR NEXT SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 581, 9 August 1909, Page 6

MEASURES FOR NEXT SESSION.

THE NATIVE LAND QUEBTION. ; ; REMAEKS BY HON. J. CARROLL. Replying to the toafit of,hie health at the banquet tendered him at Te Kuiti, the Act-ing-Prime Minister (Hon. J. Carroll) said :that he had been blamed in many respects for the tardy settlement of the question, but ho could assure them .he had not wantonly played with the matter. The intricacies of the.'Native ■ affairs, had .'puzzled the greatest minds that had- oxisted in. New Zealand, and if he had to shoulder all the blame and condemnation.for the non-settlement of the he would have a tremendous load to carry. He was glad to assure them them the Natives" were just as anxious as the Europeans ■ to have the matter settled. They' wanted the imposition of rates and taxes to be fair, and as a corollary, when they became ratepayers, would have to be .allowed.a voice.in local body control. The areas held by Natives at the present time totalled 7,455,000 acres, of which 3,256,389 acres were in profitable occupation cultivated by Europeans, and paying rates. There were ■vested in the Public Trustee for settlement purposes 2,201,694 acres. This was ready for settlement, and at an early date would be' let to' the public:- The balance amounted to 2,073,934 acres, which was about to bo dealt with. .•■Hβ denied the statement made in the south recently that the King Country had been exploited by land speculators and monopolists, 'who were mopping-up Native land for speculative' purposes.-' If so, the principle, of. the law affecting tlie alienation of Native lands had' not been, carried into effect. ■ ' '.-. . ~

: . The solution of the difficulty appeared to be that the Native lands should bear the same responsibilities'as land owned by Europeans.- Every inch should be made use of, and'subjected to cultivation. "He intended to introduce Bills next session dealing with the Native land, and making necessary amendments to. give better facilities and secure, a more inexpensive method: of perfecting titles, and the elimination of' the provision in respect to alienation/ He wanted to take this work away from" the Court altogether, and give' control'to the Land Board. He would also introduce a "Native Land Rating Bill, by which -lands .contiguous to the. townships would he rateable lands.'; Beyond that the area, which should be productive would also be rated. The only exemption would be lands that.it was impossible to bring into profit--' able occupation. He also intended to amend or extend the operation of the Advances to Settlers Act'so that it would also apply to I'Mabrisl-; The Maori' should be put on"tho samo footing as' his pakeha neighbour, ■ and encouraged to vie with Him or exceed him. He did notintend to falter. It was a duty he owed "tb the- people and tho country, ■and as long as he .could carry 'out his soul's desire he felt ' sure the' result would be compatible with their ' wishes. Subsequently,, in an .official statement,. Mr.Carroll stated that what he'thought the Natives wouldiike was that the-rating and taxing of their lands -should be made gradually by instalments, so-as to accustom , them 'to bear the fresh .burdens "which' they would have to carry. ; n tHis ; way certain electorate's'might' be declared districts liable to rates and taxes.- A Government and a local officer could be'appointed to define such districts, representing the-interests of both sides without prejudice to.either. ,As those districts became defined-and declared, they ■would become rateable, and.as progress went on-" other, districts'-.-couJd. be- broufilit in, so that in. the process: of'.time they would have completed the taxation, of the balance of the Native lands. He believed that properly adjusted and explained to the Maori himself, it'would'act as. a stimulus to him, 'and be the needful spur to consider' his individual family or-tribal possessions, and do his liest for the welfare of both, sides. The question of.the freehold in Nativq townships, he said, was a,very serious one, involving a principle that might recoil upon themselves. If they were advocates of-the,freehold they would admit that it was as dear to the Maori as it was to the pakeha. . If they said it should pass from him to them, whether he liked it or not, then it amounted to compulsion, and if they - said-compulsion was necessary, then th'ey must.'.bo' prepared to live under ithe same conditions... , ': -.■■• ■ . '■ ,