EUROPEANISING THE MAORI

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 March 1913, Page 3

EUROPEANISING THE MAORI

FIRST CASE OF ITS KIND. The first application under Section 17 of the Native Land Amendment Act of last session came before the Native Land Court in Wellington a few clays ago (says the ■'Dominion"), when Rangi Keiehoma. a wealthy young Hawke’s Bay Native applied for a recommendation to the Govto declare-him a European. .Hr. Beard appeared on behalf of the applicant, who is 25 years of age, has a competent knowledge of the English language. and has been a student of the Wanganui College, and of St. Patrick’s College, Wellington. He is worth some' ''bOOO or £70.000, of which the Public Trustee holds £25000 under a deed of trust, the beneficiary being entitled to the income during life. On coming of age the applicant obtained £II.OOO, and i reply to questions stated that he spent £3OOO of this in beautifying his place in Hawke’s Bay, and £6OOO in acquiring a farm near Masterton. Judge Filfedder said that in the past it had been pointed out that the Maori was not always the equal of the European in transacting business, and safeguards had to be devised to prevent the Native from becoming the dupe of tlm pakeha. The day had not yet arrived when all disabilities could be removed and protection taken away, and those who bad experience in the administration of the Native laws must have been astounded at the readiness of Natives lo sign their names to transfers, leases and other important documents. With the educational advantages afforded in recent years, however, there were to be found many young Maoris who were just as capable of managing their niffairs as were Europeans, and the Legislature had now made provision for placing capable and intelligent Natives on the same footing as the Europeans. It behoved lie Court to make full inquiries, and to strict 1 v scrutinise each case, and only recommend the withdrawal of protective r.'ouf!rds in the ease of wealthy and intelligent voung Natives when they could show that they possessed sufficient business acumen and intelligence to enable them to hold their own. In Ihe case of Rang! Kerehoma a report would he sent lo the Native Minister iu due course.

TELEGRAMS.