NORTHERN MAORI SEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14000, 4 March 1909, Page 6

NORTHERN MAORI SEAT.

NOMINATION OF DR. BUCK.

STATEMENT BY NATIVE MINISTER. The announcement that Dr. Buck, the native health officer attached to the district health office, is to be one of the candidates for the Northern Maori seat rendered vacant by the death of Sir. Hone Heke, does not come altogether as a surprise to those interested in native politics. The Minister for Native Affairs, the; Hon. James Carroll, in a statement which was published in the Herald of Saturday, intimated that on the occasion of his visit to the late Mr. Heke'6 tangi at Kaikohe the previous week, he was consulted in the matter by a large number of the Northern Maoris, and asked to nominate a suitable successor vto the deceased member. Mr. Carroll acceded to the request, and nominated Dr. Buck, who was also a visitor to the tangi.

The Minister for Native Affairs, in .the course of conversation with a Herald representative yesterday, pointed out that it was the proposal of the natives themselves that he should nominate someone, and he, after a due consideration of the whole position, nominated Dr. Buck. It was the wish of tho Maoris that as a mark of; respect ,to the memory of the late Mr. Heke, tho contest for his position should be minimised as much as possible, and in urging Mr. Carroll to act, they assured him that if he-did not do so there would be a multiplicity of candidates in the field. The Minister's choice was only for the purpose of restraining the natives for the present Parliament, and at the next election ' they would choose their member in the ordinary way. '' I i fulfilled my part by responding to their invitation," added the Minister, "and I nominated Dr. Buck. I think he would fill the position admirably. He is a prominent member of the young.Maori party, he has a thorough knowledge, from his present position, of the requirements of the Maoris, and he stands for Maori progression. The nomination was opposed by one section at the tangi—some of the Ngapuhis, headed by Kaka, one of; the Ngapuhi chiefs, who intends to contest the scat himself. He commands a certain following, and I think the fight will be between him and Dr. Buck. The idea of my nominating anybody was entirely their own, they pressed me. very hard to take the responsibility, and I accepted it. Nobody knew who I was 30ing to nominate, and I had not consulted Dr. Buck. That gentleman then addressed them, and said that if it were acceptable to the tribes, he would take the position. I simply made the proposal. It was for Dr. Buck to agree and. for the people to confirm. The matter is now in their cWn hands."