MAORI COUNCILS BILL. LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT FOR THE NATIVES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2429, 3 October 1900, Page 9

MAORI COUNCILS BILL. LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT FOR THE NATIVES.

AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT.

(Fkoji Otjb Own Cobbespondent.) WELLINGTON, September 25. ~ The Government are aboxit to introduce a bill to confer a limited amount of local self-government on the Maori race. The Te Aute Students' Association is in a great measure, .responsible for the introduction of the bill. The preamble states that reiterated applications have been made by the Maoris for the establishment in Maori settlements of some simple machinery of local selfgovernment, by which the Maoris could frame for thembeh es rules and regulations on matters of local concernment and relating to their social economy. . It i<j further de- . dared that giving, effect to these desires would conduce to the higher civilisation and contentment of the race. The bill gives the Governor pow-er to proclaim Maori districts for the' purposes of the act, and the stipen- . diary magistrate or Government agent is to be the returning officer for the election of the Council, the. franchise being the same as for ■--the election of members of Parliament. The Council is to consist of an official member (the stipendiary magistrate of the district or other person appointed by the Governor), and not less than six nor. more than 12 members elected from among the Maoris. The members of, the Council shall hold office for three years, unless the Council is sooner disBolve,d. The Governor may also appoint a Maori chief as Advisory Councillor, to advise the' Council or the Governor of matters pertaining to the administration of the act. It shall be the duty of the Council to formulate and report to the Governor noon a general plan that wjould be acceptable to the Maoris of the district and the best adapted > f or - the purposes following: — (1) For prescribing for" the obserA'ance and enforcement of the rights, duties, and liabilities amongst themselves of tribes, communities, or individuals of the Maori race in relation to all social and domestic matters; (2) for the suppression of injurious matter and custom's, and for the substitution ofjcemddiis and punishments for injuries- -in"' cases which compensation is,now"§ought by means of such customs ; (3)~~for the promotion of education and instruction, both ordinary and technical, and the conduct and management of Native schools ; (4) and generally for the promotion of the health and welfare and moral well•being of the Maori inhabitants of the district. And.it shall be the duty of the Council to collect and tabulate facts and statistics in relation and to report to the Governor on the following matters : — (1) The general health of the Maori inhabitants of the district and the causes of death ; (2) the movement of the population, the extent of consanguineous connections or maruiages and their effect, and the extent of the absorption of the Native race by intermarriage with Europeans ; (3) the number gf persons cngagecMn industrial pursuits, the extent of land cultivated, and the stock depasturing thereon ; (4) and other matters that the council may deem necessary in order that the Government may know the condition of the Native race.

It shall be lawful for the Council ti. make by-laws — (1) For the providing for the health and personal convenience of the inhabitants of any Maori settlement ; (2) for enforcing the cleansing of houses; (3) for the suppression of common nuisances ; (4) for the prevention of drunkenness ; (5) for the protection of public buildings; (6) for the suppression of the nuisance of^dogs "wandering at large, and for defining and prescribing the rights duties, and liabilities* of the owners of dogs ; (7) for the branding of horses, cattle, and pigs, the prevention of fraud relating thereto, and the prevention of larceny of cattle ; (8) for the protection and management of eel weirs, the control of oyster bads, and burial and recreation grounds, the prevention of smoking among children, the prevention of gambling, the maintenance of water supplies, the construction of a proper system of drainage and sanitation, for the co-operation with the Agricultural department for the prevention of disease among stock, and for the fixing of fines for breaches of the by-laws. The by-laws, however, are not to come into operation until approved of by the Native Minister. The Native Minister is empowered to subsidise, at a rate not - exceeding pound for pound, moneys raised by th,e council for sanitary, works. The Council may, subject to 'the approval of the .Governor, impose a tenement tax on houses, whares, or Native lands withiv the boundaries of any Maori 'kianga, village, or pa. ' In any case in which j a Maori shall refuse to pay any fine imposed in pursuance of any by-law under this act, the chairman of the Council is empowered to proceed for the recovery of the same' by civil process in the Magistrate's Court.