The Dominion. FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1910. MAORI REPRESENTATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 709, 7 January 1910, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1910. MAORI REPRESENTATION.

The telegram from the Largavillc correspondent of the Auckland Herald concerning the attitude of the Natives towards political questions of the day, which we published in our last issue, would appear to indicate an interesting development amongst the northern Maori population. According to the sender of the message, the Natives arc display-" ing a keen desire for enlightenment i on political matters, and more cs-1 pecially regarding tho policies of the Government and the Opposition partics. _ It would seem that there is a growing feeling amongst the Natives in favour of the lleform party, and tho reason for this is stated to be that Mr. Massey's land policy finds moro favour than the policy of the Government. While it is pleasing to find any evidence of an earnest desire on the part of the Natives to make themselves familiar with the political issues before the country, and more especially those directly affecting their _own race, none but the most optimistic will expect very much therefrom At anyrate, any movement of the nature indicated by tho Herald's correspondent must necessarily be of slow growth, for befoie it can hope to mako material progress the deep-seated convictions of years must be uprooted." - The tendency of tho party in p'dwer in New Zealand politics has been for years past to educate the people to depend more and more on the State, and the Maori has readily fallen in with this view. He has, in most cases, found himself at one time or another in direct touch with, perhaps at the mercy of, the representatives of the State. He has had restrictions forced upon him_ in connection with his land and in other directions, which have imbued him with a very wholesome fear, if not respect, for the powers wielded >by the Ministry of theday. He has seen his legitimate desires in the matter of the disposal of his land thwarted for years, despite all his efforts, by the passive resistance or neglect of an office which is supposed to exist to further his interests. Can it be wondered that he wants to keep on ,the safe side of a power which is able to raise so many obstacles to his desires, and which equally has tho means of _ removing most of them ] The experience of the Maori race has been that it is a good thing to be on the side of tho strongei party, and its representatives in Parliament for a good many years past have shown an unfaltering belief in this view. They have been simply four votes for tho Government practically whenever they were wanted.

;? It_■ will be seen; therefore, that the, .Native,mind >has, a lot'to unlearnbefore it ,can set out on tho study of political-issues oh their;merits.. We. nave for some time held" the opinion that 'the.;'attitude, of'/the: State '.towards; .the: "Native ;pbp'ulation is'■--. a wrong onci' At one time the 'policy of treating -the Natives' I 'as though :they .were children,;incapablo of conducting. _their own 'affairs in .competition with Europeans, was on doubt; a wise one. 'But that day.has passed.; .The Native;.is. no -longer a; child/ He has ' lawyers,; and doctors, and men' of; business.-,amongst; the.: members of his; own; race, and, on :the whole is. jjuite-' as capable- as v his micella,: neighbour of looking after' his own affairs; iTlie Natives':themselves 'are clamouring to be released from;the restrictions.with;which they, are hampered, a-nd there is not' the least; doubt that".it- would eventually be for their good and the. good! of the whole community; if those; restraints were gradually, if not immediately, removed.': So also in- respect; of. the system; of special Maori' representation' in Parliament. The provision made in bur electoral system for Native constituencies was to enable the Natives to return to Parliament men who would be ablo to;voice' the views of- the Native 'population: on questions 'affecting-.their .'interests. At that time special representation was necessary—to-day it has become a farce. Anyone who follows the proceedings of Parliament; would be puzzled to discover what,earthly use Native members.are, unless'it; is, to exercise a vote in favour oj the Government when required. One Native member last session only put in an appearance during the last few hours that Parliament sat,; and; his colleagues—with the exception of > tho gentleman who occupies.'" a seat on the Ministerial benches,- iand who presumably has' Departmental mattors to attend to—were distinguished only for the regularity with which they responded to the division bell.' Even when mattors of direct concern to the Native-race are under consideration it is- the, representatives of pahclia constituencies that know most about the subject under discussion, \andv whose opinions- carry weight. The truth is that' the time has passed when special Maori representation is of any value either to tho Natives or to tf'e country

generally! The Maoris should be included oh the general electoral rolls and be placed on tho same footing as tho Europeans. Native interests would: probably be better served, for there would be less reason for handling Native matters so as to secure tho votes of the Native members in Parliament, while the interests of the country would certainly benefit.