MAORI WAR VETERANS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 663, 13 November 1909, Page 6

MAORI WAR VETERANS.

ALL CLAIMS SHOULD BE SETTLED. The necessity for the Government to mquiro without delay into the claims of applicants for compensation lor services i gndered, iu connection with the Maori War was impressed on the Government by a number of members on both sides of the House 'yesterday Mr. llacdonald, who raised tho question, pointed out that thirty six yeais hid elapsed since the war closed Repeated requests wore made to members, espeoiallj tho=e ivho represented constituencies in the Xorth Island, that the claims should bo settlod once and for all Mr Hemes said that tho Government oomo time ago intimated that the claims would be inqmrocl into If that were to be done, ho trusted that the fact should be made public. Some announcement should bo made as to what direction the Government intended to proceed If a Departmental inquiry was going to be hdd proper notice should be gnon The Hon J. Carroll remarked that the mattor was put down for consideration this session.

Mr. Massey referred to tho fact that although the Government had promised to appoint an oilicor to inquire into the claims, nothing appaleritry had jot been done Hβ had no doubt but that the claims uould ultimately bo dealt with, bnt if delay for fofir or hve years took place many of the applicants would by that trmo have died, The proposed inquiry snould not be of a pnroly technical and legal character What ho wished to know parti cuLirly was whether the ofheer who was set up to inquire Into the claims would Bit in Wellington, or whether he would travel through the districts in which tho applicants resided. , , The Hon. J. Carroll replied that until tho Government had decided on what lines tho inquiry should bo hdd the necessary informai4&» coold.stf be given. «

Messrs. Banrao, Oltoy, Lanrenson, Hogan, Buick, Glover, M*Laren, Laing, Jennings, Witty, Poolo, Dillon, and Sir William Steward supported the proposal tint the claims should be inquired into without delay

Ihe Hon It ATKonzio declared that he was well ivithin the mark in Etatmg that every member of the Honso was anxions to do justice to the old ■soldier To mefnbors of the Opposition, however, he would say that it was one thing to preach economy and another thing to practiso it Mr Fraser Most of those who have spoken aro Government supporters' > Mr ITKenzio wont on to say that it was recognised that all reasonable claims should ibe met \ Eoyal Commission would cost as much as would settle all the claims Mr Massey Let the magistrates inquire into thorn. Mr M'Kenzie I would havo no objection to that being done, bnt my own opinion ib that very few of the claims could be substantiated