CONFISCATED LANDS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 27, 1 February 1929, Page 8

CONFISCATED LANDS

RIGHTING MAORI WRONGS

JUSTICE SHOULD BM DON 14

(By Toleoran.il.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. "Tho now Minister of Native- Affairs, Sir Apirnnu Ngata, can be trusted to solvo the problem of native lands in tho best interests of both the p.'ikcha and' the Maori," declared tho Bight Hon. J. G. Coates, former Native Minister, when speaking at the unveiling of a memorial to the late cheif, Meihana, at Porotoro. Sir Apirana Ngata said that hard work and good organisation were needed to solve the question of Maori .grievances, not only with regard to confiscated lands, but land assumed to havo been bought from tho Natives, but which the latter contended, was not. The greatest difficulty was to persuadotho Government to go behind decisions given by men in flio past. ' History had it that tho further away one got from the period of ferment, more soberly could the facts of the past and just and unjust acts-done be reviewed. In regard to tho confiscation of land in the Bay or Plenty district, he could assure tho Europeans that the Natives were not asking that farms should bo handed back. They were asking that the matter be rovicwed by a competent tribunal, and if it was found that an injustice had been done, to right the wrong. It was difficult to assess adequate compensation and allay tho feeling of grievance. The Natives were only asking for a little for their common fund. They contributed a large portion per head to the public services used by them, and wore asking that a certain portion should be put down to settle outstanding grievances. He asked tho Europeans not to misunderstand the matter. Ho thought the Natives should be compensated for tho land they had lost. Ho proposed to recommend Parliament to. vote a moderate amount as compensation in this district.