NATIVE LANDS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 89, 11 October 1913, Page 9

NATIVE LANDS

THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS CRITICISM OF THE BILL STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER. The chief features of the Native Land Laws Amendment Bill were published in The Post last night. When the measure was brought down in the House by Governor's Message a debate took place that lasted for the greater part of the afternoon. Mr. Ell protested against any attempt being made to wheedle the few remaining acres of land oub of the Maoris. He contended that European settlers in the past had treated the Maori in a monstrous way. Mr. Witty said that the anxiety to get hold of the Native land was going too far, and very soon the country would have to take care of the landless Native. The trouble was that the supporters of the Government did not believe in Native landlordism, but believed in landlordism for themselves. After 6ome party talk about despoiling the Native, the Hon. Mr. Herries assured members, and South Island members yin particular, that he was not going to allow any injustice to the Natives. The Bill was liable to amendment, and he was quite willing to accept reasonable amendments from his friends opposite. He would never be a party to a compulsory acquiring of Native Land. Rather> than do that ne would go out of office aS| Native Minister. ' Thei Bill was intended to enable the Crown to come to agreement with Natives if they were willing to sell. The provisions only extended the power of the Crown to purchase. Mr. Myers: What happens if they won't sell? Hon. Mr. Herries : "If they won't sell they don't Bell." (Laughter.) Surely, he said, the Crown should be on a better footing than the speculator. Sir Joseph Ward took it that increased settlement in the North Island depended entirely upon the voluntary .action -'of the Natives. The Native Minister said that that was so, and again assured members that he did not wish to do anything against the interests of the Native. He appealed to the Committee to let the Governor's Message go, through, and have a good debate when the Bill was committed. Sir Walter Buchanan protested against the allegation that the North Island settlers worked against the interests of the Natives. Mr. Atmore contended that the history of land transactions between Europeans aDd Natives in New Zealand was not what Europeans could be proud of. The Wght and proper course to pursue was to break up some of the large estates held by Europeans who had acquired the land from the Natives in a manner which reflected no credit' on the present owners. He expressed thehopo ♦hat the Government would watch carefully the land-grabbers of the North. As >.he Bill passed through different stages the Taranaki members would reqmre watching. Mr. Craigie hoped the Government would see that the Natives were treated well, and that they would get full value for their land. He had been told that a great deal of dummyism and landgrabbing in connection with Native land was still going ou. Mr. Laurenson believed that the Hon. Mr. Herries would not do a dishonourable thing against the Native,. But behind the Native Minister, he said, and behind the Primo Miniatei, lay a gan& of rapacious men who had to be watched. He was not in terror of Maori landlordism. Mr. C. Parata (Southern Maori) said that his people had never received a. square deal. He quoted a series of early land purchases to show that the European nad obtained the bettei bargain. One sale of the series was the purchase of 100,000 acres an Wellington, 1 in 1848 ; then, in 1849, the South Island Natives sold twenty million acres for £2000. In reply to an interjection from a Northern member, Mr. Parata, reminded tho interjector that the Maoris at least got the money from the men of the South. He went on to say that fifty thousand Maoris owned altogether some four million acres, or an average of eighty acres each, but only twenty-five acres of firstclass land. As against that, eighty-nine Europeans in Canterbury held five million acres, seventy-five in Otago held four million, and seventy-nine in Hawkes Bay held 2,200,000. He pointed out that his people had spbnt their money in hospitality. It was not inherent in the Maori to conserve hi* money. Was not tho home of a chief the refuge of all his people ? Mr. Parata appealed for a square deal. The Bill was read a first time on the voices. / =====