NATIVE LAND LEGISLATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6362, 9 November 1907, Page 9

NATIVE LAND LEGISLATION.

WEWS OF THE MAORIS. A KORERO,IN WEIHANGTON. When the Native Minister (Hon; J. Carroll) announced to the Maoris that a Bill was to be brought down dealing with the question of native land tenure, he asked the natives to discuss the Bill, so that the Government could find out what was best for them, and what they themselves wanted./ This suggestion was put into practice yesterday, when a korero.of about forty Maoris nas held in the Sydney street schoolroom ■ ~ , Tutu Crete, a Church of England clergyman, from tho Wairarapa, was voted to the ohair. Tie asked the Maoris present to look at the Bill from the standpoint of what would benefit not only a few individuals, but the whole ince A largo number of Maoris gave their opinions on the Bill,: and cm tho question of land tenure generally. Several speakers complained that the natives had never been given an oppottunity of moating tho members of tho Cabinet on the subject, every proposed meeting being put off for some reason or other. If the Maoris could have met the Government that korero would have been unnecessary. One native said the Hon. J. Carroll had kept chiefs waiting in Wellington at groat expense to themselves without doing anything to meet them. Whenever he had been approached he pleaded pressure of business. ' Two questions were put before the meeting for discussion—whether the Pill should bo postponed until next session to give natives an opportunity of: discussing it, or whether it should be gone on with immediately,- the Maoris to suggest certain amendments. It was unanimously decided to recommend the GovernmAnt to postpone the Bill until next session.