NATIVE LAND ADMINISTRATION.

Otago Witness, Volume 23, Issue 2684, 23 August 1905, Page 34

NATIVE LAND ADMINISTRATION.

SHE GOVERNMENT SEVERELY

CRITICISED.

NATIVE LAND COURT APPOINTMENTS. (Fbom Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, August 19.

The Government was again severely attacked in regard to the Administration of the Native Department whilst the- Native Land Court and Native Lands Administration Estimates were under review early this morning.

Mr Herries first raised the question in regard to the Native Land Courts by expressing the opinion that it was most improper that a member of Parliament should act as assessor.

Mr A. L. D. Fraser commented very strongly upon the administration of the department, and said that some of tho appointments which had been made in the department could only be described aa "positively indecent." He described the Maori Land Councils as " retrograde and bastard institutions," which even the Premier had admitted were a failure. As to tbe salaries of the Native Land Courfc judges, the amounts they received wereridiculously small, and sufficient to attract only junior clerks in a lawyer's office. Men he said, were appointed to the Native Land Court who would not be employed in an office at £2 a week, and yet such men, were entrusted with the adjudication of cases representing sums of about £200,000, and involving even the very birthright of the people He quite believed that the present occupants of the bench were honourable, straightforward men, but there were plenty of such men walking about the streets whom they would never dream of placing on a Native Land Court bench. He considered that the faub was not -due to the Native Minister, but to certain members of the Ministry who possessed that " little knowledge " which Is a " dangerous thing " ; and ho expressed the opinion that if the Native^ Minister would oi.ly " take the bift in his teeth" and run the show, a better state of things would be brought about. Mr Herries agreed with Mr Fraser, and) said that whilst the pay was so miserable they could not expect ths best men to join ■the' Native Land Court bench. Mr Massey added his protest against the appointment of members of Parliament as assessors, it being, h-3 said, a breach both of the letter and the spirit of the act. Mr Herries also protested very strongly against the reappointinent of Mr Henare Kailiau, the member for Uie Western Maori District, as a membeT of the Waikato Maori Land Council. He said that in the act of 1900 there had been a clause permitting a member of the House to be a member of those councils, but the House had struck this out. Surely this should have been a sufficient indication to the Government of the mind of the House. When the Waikato Council was set up, however, they were astonished to find that Mr Kaihau was appointed as a member of it. He (Mr Herries) brought the matter up in the House in 1903, and again last year. In replying) to his protest last year, the Native Minister, as reported in Hansard, had said that last year the member for the Western Maori District* was appointed to a seat on the Maori Land! Council in the Waikato. Subsequently the question was raised in the House as to whether it was right for members of Parliament to have seats on such councils, and! he had endorsed the opinion then expressed 1 that on principle it was not desirable, andt said he would see that the honourable member was informed that he could noij continue to occupy the posi+ion. In spite of this statement, however, they found that Mr Kaihau had now just been reappointed to the position, in defiance not only of the expressed wish of the House, but also of the Minister's own promises. The Hon. Mr Carroll said the position, was that according to the act the election of the new councils should take place at the end of this month. It was inconvenient, however, to hold the elections now, and iti had been decided to defer them till next February, when the machinery used for the parliamentary elections could be utilised. Ifc was therefore decided to extend Mr Kaihau's present term till that time. It was not a new appoinlment, but merely a temporary extension of the present term. Mi? Kaihau had not been consulted as to his reappointment, and he had asUcd that hi 9 name be withdrawn. Mr Herries said the statement that Mi 3

Kaihau had asked lais name to be -withdrawn put a different complexion on the matter, but it did not palliate the action of the Minister. Mr A. L. D. Fraser supported Mr Her- ! ries's remarks, saying that the reappointment was most discreditable to the Government, lie again referred to the Maori Land Councils, describing them as " wretched, comtemptible bodies,' which (offered obstacles instead of assistance to the settlement of Native lands. Why was this policy persisted in.? Mr Duthie: Because you supported the Government. Mr Eraser : Give me a better Government «nd I will support it. The Premier at this stage manifested «ome impatience. Mr Fraser: I am sorry to hear the Premier sigh. The Premier: If you. do not look out I will take a hand in this before you are much older. Mr Seddon, however, evidently thought Better of his intention, as he remained silent during the remainder of the discussion. Mr Moss said that as Air Kaihau wished to withdraw, the Minister could surely arrange ior his retirement.