NATIVE AFFAIRS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11955, 27 May 1933, Page 7

NATIVE AFFAIRS

7 RELATION* BETWEEN THE RACES 1

MU. K< -S. WILLIAMS’

COMMENTS

‘•OUTSIDE KYIS’'. WANTED. Souio interesting comments on JsatiVe affairs . iwerei made by Mr. K. S. Williams, M.P., when .joining in the greetings extended the Native Rutting Comnuspiou at Puatoria. | - Several speakers, at .the outset, paid high tributes- to the interest taken by Mr. , Williams in tlie affairs of the Maori and they codon ded to him a... very .warm welcome. Mt. -WilLijams referred to. passing of many of the older generation of Natives and , emphasised that he regretted this as much as anybody did. While some, of the Maori elders had gone beyond, so too had the older pakehas, and it

seemed a great pity, that, some of tlve finest figures of both races liacl • not been spared longer to carry on the good work they had doue for the district. "Throughout his residence in the district, the relations between Maori and pnkoha had been the best. (Applaus.) The Natives had always givcii the most .willing co-operation in any form of organ'll isation. in the interests of the district and the benefit of the commu-

nity generally. Mr. Williams pointed out- that, in the earlier days, the rating question had not been as serious as it now became, and he thought ’the men who were then administering the affairs of the county—without casting any .reflections on the present day administrators—had recognised that large areas of Native land were not producing anything, and (were not what might be called in occupation. But a,s the district progressed, and the moans of transit had' changed, as they h|ad.' i n other parts of New Zealand, the question of rates had become more acute, particularly as very large areas of improved lands had reverted to the Maoris and very considerable assistance had been given to them by private enterprise fro develop their own land, commencing as far hack as 1906. It would be readily . understood, commented Air. Williams, that, however great was his personal affection for Native enterprise, it had been his duty to see that a fair thing was done as equally as possible in district between. the two races. One of his main reasons in urging tb e Palme Minister to establish the Native Land Pate.s Commission was that, following on the progress of the district, the younger generation of both Maoris and Europeans did not. perhaps, understand each other as the previous gene-ration had done. He could see that if the question were not tackled, sooner or later a feeling would begin to grow up between certain sections of the com-

in unity. In the circumstances. • therefore. Mr. Williams adcl'ed, he was anxious that the Prime Minister should ask an "outside ere” to examine the position and hear both sides so that the Government could ;i»mvo afc a decision. If the Natives could Siot pay their rates, and it "as di tided that the Government shonlu not pay, then the '"hole of the Dowhich the Government represented, would have to pay the money. An additional burden should not bo placed on. the Maoris. ,U)(1 pakehas willing to pay,, because the burden would become too heavy. -As the chairman of the commission had said elsewhdrc, the Maoris . were finding it very hard to pay], bubuh-m | the pakelm had to- pay tyiee as A much a s he ought, the burden would Fall too heavily upon him. Mr. Williams concluded with the expression of a hope that the. Na tives would explain their troubles 0 the commission, ft was n °t a question of Maori versus pakeha, 01 P" keha versus Maori, but a matter, of endeavouring to lido the commission to arrive at,satisfactory conclusions.