THE NATIVE LANDS.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1868, 12 March 1913, Page 7

THE NATIVE LANDS.

To the Editor. Sir,—The present Government when occupying the Opposition benches unceasingly taunted the Liberal party with being weak and spineless, in failing to finally grapple with the native land question, the Taihoa policy, so they said, of Sir .James Carroll being a reproach to the Dominion. Now, sir, the Reformers have served half the term in office, and beyond the fact of attending a few big gatherings of the natives and indulging in a few vagueries ihe present Minister for Native Affairs has not accomplished aything of any value, in the direction indicated by themselves, when posing as the party who could and would if given a chance, throw open looked up lands, which only wanted a firm attitude to be adopted by those under whose jurisdiction the work remained. Evidently like the Arbitration Act deletion the native land legislation proved too stupendous an undertaking to tackle, and in order to remain in office, it paid better to remain neutral and hedge and trim around it, await developments so to speak. That some drastic measures are needed, we must admit, so as to bring into cultivation the large areas held by those who will not improve it; but so far tue position remains unaltered by the fact of the ascension into power of Mr Herries and the Heform party, with the remedy he was supposed to possess. Let him carry into execution a work of sucli magnitude, and his name will go down to posterity as a public benefactor who had no equal in the history of the Dominion as Minister of Native Affairs. "—I am, etc., subscriber.