THE ACTING-PREMIER AMONG HIS PEOPLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 29 July 1909, Page 3

THE ACTING-PREMIER AMONG HIS PEOPLE

MR CARROLL ON THE NATIVE LAND PROBLEM. lU.KITEI) PRE3S AfISOCIAIjOK.j ; WELLINGTON; Thursday. "* Mr Carrol),, Acting-Premier and Native Minister,, attonded a meeting of Natives at Papawai, in the Wairara'pn, yesterday, .arranged in honour of his promotion to the post of Actin-Premier. ,Spbeehes wero made by Messrs Parata, Wi Pere, and Buchanan, and an illuminated address was presented. Mr Carroll wont exhaustively into the Native land question. He said that out of -7,445,000 acres, all but 207,300 acres were . under profitable occupation, -or vested in trust. The Government was faced with two problems: Settlement by Europeans by lease or sale, and settlement by the Maoris therasolves. The former was provided for in "part; but tho latter presented more difficulty. If the Maoris were not encouraged and (Educated to utilise the land themselves it was inevitable that the pressure of s6ttlement must demand the surrender of their reserves. Tho State could hold a proportion in trust for the Natives; but could make such provision only on the assumption that tha succeeding generation would be better trained . than the present. Provision must be made for training; especially in agriculture, for the cost ;of ascertaining titles and surveys, and advances to 'settlors must be applied .to Maoris, land fresh legislation enacted. 'Purchases by the Crown" as far as possible should be through the Maori Land Boards, and a.ome of the money 3hould be devoted to such purposes as education, hygiene, otc. The following legislation would be required: —A Native Lands Court Bill, dealing only with titles of Xativo land; a Settement Bill, dealing with alienation and control, and .making extended provision for ;the settlement' of Maoris on their lands; : a Nativo Lands Rating Bill; and ah Amendment to the Advances to Settlers Act, oar-marking funds for loans to Maori settlers. Mr Carroll gave it as his opinion that if the Native land problem were only a question of ■disposal of land without reference to the position of Maoris, it would he possible, of the easiest solution in one «>r other of many ways suggested by current journalism. -