THE MAORI CONGRESS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 59, 5 March 1909, Page 2

THE MAORI CONGRESS.

A FRANK SPEECH

Incidental mention Avas made of the Maori race at the Methodist Conference on Tuesday afternoon (says the N.Z. Times). The Rev. T. G. Hammond, Maori Missioner, of Patea, said the recent Maori Congress held in Wellington had, he believed, been very far-reaching in its good results, but there Avas one thing he had noticed. The people at a time like that would gather round and make a great fuss of the natives. Wellington seemed to have gone wild about the natives all at once for a couple of days. ''This kind of thing," he said "is a little distasteful to some of us Avho have given our lives to them. I Avant to see that enthusiasm translated into sustained action. Unless it is so, no good will be done. Lots of people do abominable things to the natives even noAV." He mentioned that Mr Robert Hadden, Maori Missioner, had got into a railway tram not long ago. Tavo women got in and sat doAvn. One looked at the other, and then said: "Let's clear out of here. There's a beast of a Maori here." (Shame!) This kind of thing Avas possible,. Avhile natives were also abused and treated impertinently by men who claimed to be educated. While taking heart* it was as well to remind them that especially good behaviour was supposed to characterise Europeans, but that it Avas not so sustained as it should be. .If they Avere going to do for the Maori people what they should do, they should set them an example in the uplifting of their lives. "We must be perfectly honourable towards them in land dealings," said the speaker. "A great deal remains to be done. When I read as carefully as I do the reports of speeches of members of Parliament 'on Native lands, I cannot come to any other conclusion than that there is an eye on the Maori lands. The land is the first ihing; the people come second. I hope Aye shall all remember in relation to the native people Avhat President Lincoln said:— "When it is a question of men and dollars, I stand for the men every time."

Says the Lyttelton Times:—While urging upon the Wellington Chamber of Commerce the importance of pusl)ing on. the construction of the South. Island Main Trunk Railway more vigorously, Mr J. G. Harkness pointed out that it would be necessary to obtain a further 'authorisation for •this line during next session of Parliament. This is a fact Avhich has been very generally overlooked by the friends of the railway. Pix>bably most of them have taken it for granted that the existing legislation provided for the work going on until the two ends of the South Island were finally connected. But the Railway Authorisation Act of 1899 authorised the construction of the railway from the (southern end only to "a point in the neighbourhood of the township of Mackenzie" and from the northern end to "a point in, the Blind River estate on the westerni margin' of Lake Gtrassmere." The Act of 1907 authorised the extension of the northern, end to the Ward township, a point about eight miles and a half further on, but it made no mention of the southern end, Avhich must stop at Mackenzie until a further isection is authorised. It is rather curious, by the way, that in all the Authorisation Act® the northern end is described as part of the Picton-Hurunui Railway, and the southern end as part of the HurunuiWaitaki Railway. The Minister for Public Works has always referred to the line as the Blenheim-Waipara Railway, but the Legislature has not yet committed itself to the connection of these two points. There is no doubt that Parliament will grant the necessary authority, the more readily on account of the support the Avork is receiving in Wellington, but Mr Harkness has done aa'cll in reminding us that there are still some formalities to be observed.

Just received, at Express Office, "In Memorian?" cards, ia very choice designs