“UP AGAINST IT”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17125, 4 December 1929, Page 8

“UP AGAINST IT”

INSECURE NATIVE TITLES CHARITY NOT ASKED FOR The white man’s charity is not sought by' the Maoris throughout New Zealand, according to Sir A. T. Ngata, Minister for Native Affairs, who stated to a deputation at Whakatane recently that in view of the trouble made by hospital boards concerning the amounts of unpaid fees due from natives, (the latter were reluctant to go into public institutions.

“Our , people are very sensitive about the hospital fees of indigent natives,' declared the Minister. “They have gathered the impression that the native race was not contributing to the revenue of the country, and were practically living on charity. They had kept out of the hospitals 'before, but the health officers went round chasing them into the institutions for treatment. Now the received from hospital boards and other institutions are again suggesting that the Maoris are accepting charity, until I feel that I can only tell my people to keep out of the hospitals and die at home, rather than go to the institutions. ’ ’

This forceful presentation of the Maori point of view was made by Sir A. T. Ngata in a speech to the Whakatane County Council, on the subject of overdue rates. Regarding the piling up ot rates on native blocks, the Minister warned his hearers to realise that the loading expenditure was the result of European demands, and not because of any agitation on the part of the owners of native land. The latter accepted the roads arid bridges as part of the white man’s culture, and eventually would pay their share of the cost. But for the present they were up against it, with unsatisfactory titles to their lands holding back their development, and a shortage of cash generally. The names would not lend them money for developing their lands, and the private firms that would advance money wanted ti, 9 or 10 pei gent, for the loans. The Maori Land Board and the Native Rand Settlement Board were the only sources to which the natives could look for help in this respect. However, the Minister emphasised the point that the natives would accept their burdens as soon as possible, but that the success of the negotiations for the payment of overdue rates to county councils rested for the present on the progress made with the consolidation of native interests in the various blocks. Until the titles could be cleared up and the land made available for development, it could not be expected that rates would be forthcoming. If the Government paid rates to county councils, on behalf of the Maori race, the latter must provide a quid pro quo in the shape of land, to add to the national assets. It must bo good land, too, for they could not expect the Government to accept rubbish in exchange- for good money. 1