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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9287, 24 August 1893, Page 4

In the House of Representatives, yesterday, Mr. Lake, M.H.11. for Waikato, asked whether the Government would render any assistance to the Maoris in his district who have been reduced to absolute want by the late floods destroying their potatoes. The Minister of Lands said that inquiry would be made, and relief would be given if it were urgently required. We have no doubt that . relief will be found to bo urgently required, and the Government ought to give it. But the matter must be looked at somewhat closely while relief is administered. These natives have suffered very greatly, and the reason is quite apparent. To begin with, they are the most improvident of people, and year by year they simply depend upon the crops of the season. Annually they are perilously near the end of their supplies when their stores are becoming exhausted, before the new season's produce comes in. And then every few years a calamity like this occurs, because for convenience sake they cultivate the flats close to the water. As a rule they have abundance of land in situations that are quite safe from floods, but it would be more troublesome to cultivate it, not so convenient to their dwellings, and not so convenient to the river and swamps, where they get eels. But if the natives choose to run that risk, they can scarcely oxpect to be liberally assisted when the floods come and destroy their crops. The case of the settlers is somewhat different. Each man is bound to his holding, and must take his chances, anil no doubt he does his best for the safety of his crops. The officers of the Native Department should endeavour to show the natives the folly of exposing their crops to unnecessary risks, and moreover where these natives own large tracts of land, should endeavour to take some security for the re-payment of advances for seed or food supplied. The local committee to be appointed to administer the balance of the Queensland relief fund, and other moneys, will no doubt take all these elements into consideration. All cases of urgent distress must of course be dealt with at once, but it would be a pity to perpetuate this bad custom which the Maoris have got into of late years.