The Native Question.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6897, 18 June 1892, Page 4

The Native Question.

CAPTAIN RUSSELL'S VIEWS.

The member for Hawke's Bay fought against the Maoris as a soldier m the old days, and since then he has lived in a district where Maoris are numerous:. He knows the Maori character as few politicians know it, from pnctical, personal study. Speaking to his constituents on the Native question at Hastings a short time since, Captain Kussell said that the colony had a series of Native Ministers, each of whom had a scheme to settle the Native difficulty. He should like to be n Native Minister for a short time, as he also had a scheme. He should say to the Natives :— , •• Look here, my friends, fifty years of colonisation has placed you in a position to beuefit by it ; we wish to do you no harm, but you are going to be British subjects pure and simple. We will establish Courts and ascertain the title of your lands. We don't wish to take them from you, your waste lands will be no longer waste, but will be brought into profitable occupation ; when your titles have been ascertained your land will be subject to the saon» taxation as that of European people. You can sell, lease, j or let your lands to Europeans, or you may keep them, but if you prefer to keep your lands idle, like the European, you will have to pay for your idleness." The old Native chiefs who formerly had governed their people had departed to the land of shadows, and there had risen up a new generation. Experience Bhowed that those who did not submit to domestication perished off the face of the earth. Unless the Maori race were trained in the arts of civilisation and the responsibilities of life and domestication thrown upon them, they would assuredly perish. He considered that if the natives were compelled to lead a life of self-denial and hard work they would be saved, and for them to lead a laborious life and till their land would be to their great advantage. If not it was certain that a brave and chivalrous race of people who had in the past fought so well for their country would perish off it in less than a hundred years.