Parliamentary.

Northland Age, Volume IV, Issue 47, 13 July 1908, Page 1

Parliamentary.

From Sir Joseph Ward’s Budget speech : —ln view of the energetic settlement that has gone on all over the Dominion, the time has arrived when greater steps than hitherto must he taken to provide roads for our settlers, especially in the hack blocks, and I propose this year to ask the House to provide for £650,000 for roads and bridges. Of this amount some £250,000 will he devoted to roads in the hack blocks, and will he continued for a period of four years, including the current year,

The Coroners Amendment Act, discussed in committee on Tuesday evening, provides for the holding of inquests without juries, subject to the discretion of the Coroner. Mr. Jas. Allen asked why juries should he done away with. The Minister for Justioe replied that he thought it would not only be a good thing to do away with juries, but to do away with inquests also. Many of the inquests held were quite unnecessary, and in innumerable cases a doctor’s certificate as to the cause of death should suffice. The second clause of the hill was altered to read : “ Inquests may be held with or without juries.” In the course of the next few days the most largely signed native petition on record will he presented to Parliament. From the Bluff to the North Cupe there is not a tribe which has not deputed representatives to attach their names, and this petition is signed by over 2000 natives who claim to possess genuine landed interests. This concentrated effort on the part of the natives of the Dominion is directed towards the general improvement of the conditions under which the Maoris work. In February last an association was formed, known as the Te Kopu’Maori, and a council of 220 members was appointed, ' chosen from every hapu of New Zealand. This council undertook the preparation of the giant petition, which is now ready for presentation, and claims to be actuated with the one desire to about a much-needed change in the system of legislaf tion now applying to the Maori people. The petition points out that “ the Maori people of New Zealand, who enjoy the sovereignty and guardianship of King Edward, are oppressed by the severe laws passed by Parliament affecting native land and property, whereby they are impoverished. From the time of the Treaty of Wait an gi until to-day the natives have been under this injustice. The Maoris have acquired considerable knowledge in the matter of trades and professions, and have received the benefits of the schools and colleges. They claim, therefore, that the time has now arrived when the disabilities under which they labour should be removed, more particularly as they apply to lands and properties. Therefore the 2000 petitioners pray that they should be given control of their surplus lands over and above their maintenance lands, in the same way as the law applies to Europeans.” i