LAND PROBLEMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 7 (Supplement)

LAND PROBLEMS.

SIR. GEORGE GREY VISITS GISBORNE IN ’7B.

“NO TRADING BY STATE OFFICERS.”

In Alarch 1878, Sir George Grey decided that it would be in the interests of the country as well as of the Maoris if he and his Native Minister, the Hon. Air. Sheehan, paid a visit to Gisborne. On their arrival they . were escorted over to Kaiti, where they were received in true Native fashion. Among those who were prominent in welcoming the visitors were Airs. Wyllie, Alrs.ltiparata, Airs. G. E. Read, Airs. Karaitiana and others. The party was led to Te l’oho a Rawiri to a sort of enclosure in front of the Runanga house where they were addressed by Henare Potac who said, inter alia, "Formerly, you were my foe; now you are my firm friend.” Other chiefs followed in a like strain.

’Leaning on a hani, which had been presented to him, Sir George Grey •said he would do his utmost to assist the Maoris of Poverty Bay and assured them that they could place their trust in hi.s Native Minister, Mr. Sheehan, who, in turn, gave them some good advice. He told them lie would make no obstruction between pakehas and Alaoris and that pledge pleased his hearers immensely. .If they adhered to his advice they could not go lar wrong. They should he steady and attentive and then, doubtless, they would he able to drive a fair bargain with the pakeha in any land transaction and also be able to take care of their land for themselves. Let them also eschew drunkenness and see to it that their children were educated. Without education the younger generation would he left far astern. That evening Air. Sheehan addressed with Sir George Grey a large meeting of Alaoris and pakehas. in the “Standard” Mr. Sheehan’s speech was reported thusly:—

“My special work as a Minister will be. or course, .to conduct Native affairs. J shall have to labor to keep tlio peace between the two races and I shall also have to do the best in my power to util'se the Government purchases which have been made in this district. (Cheers.) As a matter of fact, the present Government is inclined to abandon the system of land purchase altogether. It finds that the process of Government land purchase is costly and produces but very small results. It believes that it would be very much better under proper conditions to allow private individuals and the Alaoris to deal with the land for themselves. We have two or three conditions that we intend to attach to the purchase of the Native land. The first is that ■we intend to withdraw from the purchase of Native land ourselves. The second is that we intend to allow Europeans to purchase from the Natives under certain conditions. I speak frankly to you, although [ know that there are squatters around me. We do not wish to see the land passing away in blocks of 30,000 or 40,000 acres into the hands of ' one person. (Cheers.) We would prefer to sec the land passing on such conditions as would give capitalists of moderate means a chance of acquiring small properties and on such terms as would give to the Native owner full value for the land with which lie is parting. Another thing that we intend to apply to these hum transactions—and to the performance of which we intend rigorously to adhere—is that no Government officer in the Native Department from the Minister down shall traffic for himself or his friends in Alaori lands so long 'as they hold office and draw public moneys. They

must be satisfied with the emoluments given by the public and they must not attempt to abuse thenpositions and take advantage of their confidential relations to buy for themselves what ought either to become the property of the public or to he left in the open market for private individuals. (Cheers.) I can promise you this: that so long as I am in office, any Government officer who is found abusing his position for the purpose of acquiring land either for himself or his friends shall have instant notice to quit the Government service. (Cheers.) I feel sure that this is the one main thing wanting to promote good relations between the two peoples on the land question—-to encourage the Maori people to put their land through the Court and to offer it 'on fair conditions to the European population who want to buy it.”