NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Evening Star, Issue 9707, 16 May 1895, Page 4

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Tlllf PREMIER AND THE MAORIS.

Ihe Premier on arrival at Patea'was waited ou by a deputation of Natives, among whom were Tutangi Broughton, Ngapaki Hafcati, v and Roimati. Tutangi and Ngapaki presented written speeches, in which they regretted the Premier's visit ' to' Parihaka. Te Whit'i and Tohu wore prophets', and so, they urged, the Premier should not visit them. 'Tutangi commended the work of the Public Trustee, aud thought they should go a .step further and be enabled- to raise money'on mortgage through the Public Trustee. The Natives in that part of the coast strongly objected to.the followers of Te Whiti and Toho "visiting our settlement lest trouble should fall upon us." Ngapaki welcomed the Premier as head of the Government, but lu> was a bigger mau thau Te Whiti and Tohu, and ought not to go on invitation to him by small men. Men of small importance should go to see men in authority. The men in that part of the coast were Queen's Maoris, and were annoyed that the troublesome men of Te Whiti and Tohu should follow thorn. Raumati said they lived on terms of friendship with the Public Trustee, and they wished to have nothing to do with Te Whiti. The Rev. Mr Hammond, who was present, spoke on the uudesirability of the system of making payments to Natives in respect to their land in European settlements. Much of the money was dissipated in travelling expenses and drunkenness. The Natives wished the money to be paid them in their own settlements. Referring to the visit of the Premier to Parihaka, the Premier, perhaps, did not grasp the full significance which would be attached to it. The Premier, in reply, expressed satisfaction at meeting the chiefs, and said the object of the Government was to understand the requirements of the Natives. So far as the present visit was concerned, they had asked him to come, and as this was his first visit to the Natives on the coast it would be discourteous if he passed by Parihaka without calling iu there. Moreover, he had promised to pay the visit, and a promise must be sacred. He believed great good would result from the visit. He sympathised with the request that moneys "due to Natives should be paid on their own settlements, and appreciated its importance if the result would be to keep them out of the way of temptation. He was anxious to promote the welfare of the Natives, aud would have inquiries made into the matter. He was well pleased to hear expressions of satisfaction from the Natives with the Public Trustee's work, and assured them he was their best friend, and at the same time saw full justice done to European lessees. NATIVE LAND LEGISLATION". Argument was continued at Gisborne yesterday before Mr Registrar Barton, sitting as judge, in the application of iYTNicoll Bros., Waikato, to have Wi Pere, M.H.R., adjudged a bankrupt. Mr Rees, for Wi Pere, argued that the several documents in the case were informal and illegal, and that being so there was no proof of an act of bankruptcy. Wi Pere, examined on oath, said that he made an agreement with M'Nicoll to purchase the Wairakei reserve for £-1,250, and paid him £250, but had not been able to find the balance of the money. He had received no assignment or conveyance from M'Nicoll, though he still held the property, nor had they paid him a shilling's worth of rent. When in Auckland last month he saw one of the applicants, aud arranged that on his paving £SOO proceedings would lie postponed till after the ses?ion of Parliament. The idea was to enable part of the Native Land Act to be repealed, mainly that part which prohihited the sale or mortgage of Nativ.-j lauds. He hadbeen assured by the Premier that next session that would be done, and told M'Nicoll that the Premier had consented to remove that restriction. Estimates had been made of the value of his properties. The value of land that had been awarded him was £OO,OOO. His total liabilities amounted to £15,000. He told M'Nicoll he had applied to the Government lending Board for the money to pay off these liabilities, and tho Public Trustee had consented to advance £13,000. Witness was unable to raise the £SOO require! fo stay proceedings Mr Nolan, for applicants, replies to Mr Rees's argument to-morrow morning.