NATIVE LANDS, FARMERS, AND PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 972, 12 November 1910, Page 10

NATIVE LANDS, FARMERS, AND PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS.

Sir,—Last session an Act was passed allowing the Natives to sell their land. This concession sounded like good news for' people wishing to get form? in the north. ' They felt quite elated, and when they told the Native owners tlrat they would buy their land the owners were also pleased, but tho Native Land Department is composed mostly of "ifs," "buts," and "ngatitaihoas," so both the Mapri leasehold settler wishing to convert his Native lease into a freehold, so as ho could do some farming ..on his own land, and the white settler were disappointed. The Native owners have the right to sell. They are'not treated as human beings by the Native Department, but as imbeciles and 6awges. If the right to sell is given with that right must be given to the owners their Crown grants. Hack and every Native owner in the north must now have their Crown grants sent to them. Although' the names in the Native Court books ai'Q not the names Natives are known bj, still if any Nativo of over 80 years, being a male, is asked who tho names represent they can tell. The Court names aro the names of our ancestors. We prefer pakeha names, In justice to, first, tho Natives, then tho settlers, and next the Dominion's prosperity, all Natives must havfe their Crown grants, Natives can beat n white man at a horse or pig deal every time, and at any other deal. What the .brown and white inhabitants now demand from the Government is that all Crown grants bo sent to each hapu, or family, of Native owners. They will act honestly and fairly to their descendants, with few exceptions, easily found.. If the cumbrous old bulIqelc dray, the Native Department, is obsolete, climinato it; get some intelligent whites who' speak Maori to go around and fix tho whole business, then send out titles. The job is nothing, but is magnified 1000 times when represented to Parliament by interested parties. Are we, tho farmers, to voto together next election, or aro we to go eaoh on Jiis own aijd allow this tinkering with our just rights to continue? So long as settlors find tho expense of securing land so great, no definite prosperity can come. Our Dominion will continue to be run by professional politicians until tho farmers unite. The general average farmer is only a slave, who . keeps tho balance of the population in money and kai. Kise to the occasion, yo serfs of the sod, yo patient, plodding, working bullocks, and vote for one of tho most intelligent in your class to represent you at next election. Unita and pick out. a man—don't wait until ho comes' forward. Political aspirants are mostly embryo professional politicians, after money; that's what they aro after—tho almighty .£ s. d- We want men who nre of a more aristocratic turn —men who will work as patriots for their fellow serfs and slaves—not dollar grabbers—they are no use but to pile up ail immense national debt.—l am, etc., HE TANGATA MAORI. •