NATIVE LANDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIX, Issue 9986, 15 March 1893, Page 5

NATIVE LANDS.

. O- - ("Per Press Association.") WELLINGTON, March 14. At a special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce this ‘afternoon, a debate took place upon the following motion:—“That strong representations be made to the Government, urging that prompt and vigorous measures, consistent with justice to tho Natives, be adopted to acquire the freehold of tho lands still in the hands of the Maoris, excepting only such reserves as may be considered amply sufficient for tbeir maintenance.” Mr Kennedy Macdonald opened the debate, and in his speech dealt with the early history of the Maori lands, and the policy inaugurated in 1875 of individual title. He declared that the experience of every man who had studied the question was against this policy, and that from the long lapse of years and tho habitual misrepresentations of witnesses it was impossible for any Native Land Court or judicial bench to arrive at any true conclusion as to the real owners of a single block. Ho regarded Mr Rees' policy of Native Committees as merely replacing one evil by another, and aa to the policy of taxing Native Lando, end making the tax a charge upon tho laud, with the ultimate view of soiling for non-payment, it could not be defended, as it was practical confiscation. He strongly urged as a solution I ci the difficulty the passing of an Act vesting the whole of the lands unoccupied by the Maoris, amounting to nearly tea million acres, m the Crown, and the appointment of valuators to arrive at the value of the same; tho issue of debentures for purchase money at four per cent interest, to ba hold by the Public Trustee on their behalf as permanent trust, and to pay interest quarterly to the Natives; the latter, by their respective hupus, to meet and determine what proportion each tribe was to receive. He held that the present system of purchase had completely broken down, and that the Natives, without paying sixpence of taxation, wore, by the expenditure of European capital and blocks adjoining Native bind?, getting the benefit of n vast unearn&a increment. He instanced this by quoting tho Maori lands contiguous to the Wellington and Manawatu railway, and said that since the construction of tho railway these lands had increased in value to an amount equal to the whole cost of tho line, (,£800,000). He characterised the pursuance of such a policy, with ten millions of acres left, as business suicide oa the part of the Government and the people, and urged that tho whole of tho people of the Colony should reap tho benefit of public expenditure j that tho Government should make reasonable and ouifieient reserves for the Maori people to live upon, end pay them a small annual income in addition, so as to avoid Maori pauperism, while the Government should open a million acres per annum to the public. That would bo a statesmanlike policy, which would commend itself to the people of the Colouy, and would selva the difficulty. The only reason it would not be given effect to at present was political cowardice. Parlies were too even, and the four Maori votes often held the balance of power, Mr Duthie, supported tne motion, bub disagreed with Mr Macdonald as to taking land before title was ascertained. The inothjjßwaa carried unanimously.