TAIPOROHENUI APPROVES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8613, 26 December 1913, Page 4

TAIPOROHENUI APPROVES

Last week there was published in tho newspapers throughout New Zealand the important circumstances that the Hon. Dr Pomare, the member of tho self-styled “Reform” Government who is supposed to represent the native race, had addressed “a large meeting’ at Taiporohenui, and that the said “large meeting” had passed a resolution expressing approval of tho Tory Government’s legislation affecting the West Coast reserves. Like the “Lyttelton Times,” we can well imagine that this information was intended to impress the public with the righteousness of the Government s treatment ol the native land problem. It is very probable that tho Taiporohenui declaration was calculated to have a profound effect upon the public mind just as the squatters’ organ suggested, in regard to another matter, that a certain Greytown resolution showed what the people of New Zealand wore thinking. “But,” as the Christchurch Liberal journal says, “a glance at the map of tho wide constituency represented in Parliament by the genial doctor will show tho curious inquirer that Taiporohenui is jx comparatively insignificant place in the Western Maori District. At tho last general election there were forty-one votes polled there, and thirty-two of these were cast for the doctor. It is, in fact, in the very centre of a Pomare stronghold, 143 of tho 154 votes recorded at Taiporohenui, Okaiawa, Otakcho, and Oakura having been given to the gentleman representing the Native race in the present Cabinet. If tho doctor wants to ascertain how far tho “Reform” Government has won the confidence of the Maoris by its legislation, he should consult tho native electors in the King Country, who gave him only 259 votes out of 2314 two years ago. An appeal to his fourteen to one majority in the smaller district scarcely settles the question.” Still, w© think it was well worth while circulating the report of tho Taiporohenui assembly, if it were only to record the fact that the Doctor had sufficient vitality to make a speech after his exceedingly heavy labours during the session.