NATIVE LAND QUESTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13995, 30 August 1907, Page 6

NATIVE LAND QUESTION

DISCUSSION IN THE COUNCIL.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S "VIEWS.

(Feom Odr Own Cobkespondbnt.) WELLINGTON, August 29.

The second reading of the Maori Land Settlement Act in the Legislative Council provided an opportunity for an interesting discussion of this unsettled problem, during the course of whioh. some more suggestions for solving it were put forward, Tho Hop. Dr Findlay (Attorney-general) explained that tho bill was mainly a money ;bill, inasmuch as it authorised tie raining of a further sum of £50,000 to be expended in tho (purchase of Maori land, the purchase of undivided interests, and validation o£ what had already been done in tho latter direction. Tlio Hon. Wiramu Pore suggested that tho bill was deficient because- it did not explain the lands to which it referred. Ho believed the Government had designs on Bomo East Coaet lands. They 6hould not acquire individual undivided interests until their extent had been'ascertained. Tho Hon. W. W. M'Cardle said that anyone acquainted with the King Country knew the blot upon settlement which was caused by Maori land. Nothing bettor had boon done' by tho Government than tho passing of tho Maori Land Purchase Act. Roads. had to ho made ,by tho county through Native' lands which contributed nothing towards the ccet, ' while at the eamo timo tho cost of purchase was increased by the very fact that tho road existed. Natives should not bo allowed absolute. control over the purchase monoy. Ho felt -very strongly that if tho recommendationa of tho Royal Commission .on Native lands were carried' out both-..raoee would work together , for the; good of the country instead.of the Maori-blocking, the progress of tho European. . ■ The Hon.' 0. Samuel remarked that ho would havo approved a lean of £500,000 instead of the £50,000 proposed by the -bill. Ho saw no. better eeliemo for.thei settle-' mont. of tlio vast areas of Native lanid-than its purchase 'before individual "ownership claims, were-decided, a proper area to,bo reserved 1 for the uso of Natives, and.'the money paid for the remainder vested in tho Public Trustee for tho benefit of the'Maorie;

Tho Hon. J. D. Ormond expressed disappointment at the fact that the amoiint proposed to'be borrowed was already' allocated. Unless tho waste- lands held by tho Maoris were by the Government settlement would bo indefinitely postponed. Sufficient land should be Get aside for tho Natives themselves, and the remainder dealt with by the Government with the object of securing closo settlement. Ho did not regard tho Royal Commission's recommendations as very practicable unless the proceso of improving tho waste lands was carried out under the control of the Government,

Tho Hon. Dr Findtay said tho paramount difficulty was lii.it. they were dealing , with a race far behind the European in point of civilisation, and heroic methods of ccltling tho difficulty would not do.', The proper method was to go to tho Natives themselves, ascertain the real facts, collect tie information, and tlwn sit down to deviso the remedy, instead of speculating without a knowledge of tho facts. The colony's first duty was to tho Natives themselves, Thero was a. financial difficulty about tho State acquiring all tho Native land because it would enormously increase our public debt. Piirchaw by ,thc Slate was, however, not essential, berauso thero wero plenty of areas in.liie North Island which, if put up to miction for salo or lease with a guaranteed title <nich as under the Land Transfer Act, would find plenty of applicants willing: to pay the market price. So why should the State expend tho money? The Hon. G. Jones To get the profit. The Attorney -general: At whose expense? Tlie Hon. G-. .tones: For the construction of railways. Tho Attorney-general concluded by stating that it would not Iμ long before legislation, which ought to bo on the lines of tho Royal Commission's recommendations, was introduced. The bill was read a second time.