SPEECH BY HON. W. D. MACDONALD

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 138, 11 June 1912, Page 2

SPEECH BY HON. W. D. MACDONALD

NATIVE LAND PROBLEM. [BY TELEGRAPH— PEESS ASSOCIATION.] ROTORUA, 10th June. The Hon.- W. D. S. Mac Donald ad-, dressed a large public meeting here tonight. H© expressed sympathy 'with Mr. Herries in his bereavement. . The Dominion's ciy at the last ©lection had been oxoessiv© borrowing ou .the part of the Ward Government, but people in all parts of th© Dominion continued to bring forward demands for heavy expenditure. Th© humanitarian legislation of the Liberal regime could not b© maintained without borrowing. Regarding the cry that there was stagnation in settlement, he pointed out that during the past decad© the Government had settled an average of 500,000 acres annually. The main object had been to settle the land by Europeans, but since then the question had been what was to become of the Natives, and th© endeavour had been to assist th© Natives to farm their own lands. The difficulty was that there would be no hind left. Regarding Native land, a great deal of misconception had been current. Last year 700,000 acres had been mad© availablefor European settlement, and during the last two years one million acres A large number of Natives required protecion in land dealing. Sir James Carroll had endeavoured to do his best for both races. > During the coming session he hoped to introduce a Bill embodying the recommendations of the Native Land Court, his own ideas, and other suggestions based on experience of the Aot of 1909. Th© Maoris, as owners of the land, must bear the same burdens as Europeans m regard to local taxation, and the difficulty in collecting rates wou}d''bb ttenie"*' died by 'projected legislation. :t: tt 'was the intention of the Government to bring down legislation providing that' unoccupied Native land in small areas shall com© undtr the scope , of tho Native' Lands for- Settlement Act, and mad© available for^European settlement. When" individual titles were not ascertained, th© Public Trustee should hold the money until • such were ascertained. The land would be thrown open on the optional system^ ' He was Btro'ngly in favour of a vigorous public work policy to open up th© country, and allow settlers to compete with gardeners and pro duoers in other countries. Th© result of the election had been a decision against borrowing, but development oould not go' on- without funds. Mr. Mac Donald, commented on the contradictory attitude of those who demanded public expenditure in their own districts, yet opposed the Railway Authorisation Bill. He dealt on the need for railway connection between Rotorua and East Coast, and said as he had advocated it as a private member, h© would favour it as a Minister. He considered the Waihi strikers had been illadvised, but as they had given union* a status in the country they could not be wiped out by the stroke of a pen. The Government relied on those in the uniolw to bring about a better state of things, for the industrial classes would yet realise that conciliation • was better than th© settlement of disputes by force. He defended the Royal Commissions now sitting. A vote of thanks and congratulation ou being included in the Cabinet was passed unanimously.