WAITANGI TREATY SITE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17958, 9 December 1932, Page 5

WAITANGI TREATY SITE

PLANS FOR PRESERVATION MORE VICEREGAL GENEROSITY 1300 ACRES AND £IOOO

( Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day

The Labor Party made an effort to have the member for Southern Maori district.. Mr. E. T. Tirikatenc, included is a member of the Waitangi National Trust Board when the bill incorporating the board and vesting it in the Governoi(Soneral’s gift of the historic site was before the' House yesterday. Ah allegation was made that ail the E.uri pean members other than the Minister* were members of the Reform I‘arty, and that bias in this direction had been shown in the advice tendered t 0 His Excellency in nominating the hoard. . . The suggestion was strongly denied by the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates,-who said he had had something to do with the arrangements. The Prime Minister, the Rt. lion. G. W. Forbes, pointed out that the whole population of the South Island, both European and Maori, was represented by Sir Heaton Rhodes. The Native Minister, Sir Apirana Ngata, in an impressive speech, dealt with the historic aspect, of the treaty, describing it as a. covenant under which both races lived together. It was the Magna Charta of the Maori rave. If the"gift had been made at some other time than a time of depression, the Maoris would have celebrated it in Ibch’ own way, although the pakelias would have said it was a waste of food and a waste of time. He paid a t'unu'.e Li the interest taken in the native race by Their Excellencies. THE VICEREGAL OFFER The Prime Minister declined to make a promise to amend the board’s constitution, and the bill was passed. The Cabinet’s grateful acceptance of two farther viceregal offers in conneption with the preservation iind rehubilitation of the site on which the Treaty of Waitangi was signed was announced by Mr. Forbes, who stated that in view of the urgent necessity of putting m hand the rehabilitation of the historic premises, and in order to remove anxiety relative to the financial position of the Waitangi National Trust at its inception, Their Excellencies the GovernorGeneral and the Lady Bledisloe had made the following two proposals to the Government: (1) The balance of the land, an area of 1300 acres, forming part of the old Waitangi estate, situated in its hinterland and not included in the gift of May TO last, to be vested by Their Excellencies under a separate deed of gift in the Government with a view to making it immediately available for afforestation uiulei' a 999 years’ lease at a peppercorn rental, the work of aftorestation to be put in band at the earliest possible moment, the ultimate net revenue from this property, whether under timber or not, to be shared equally by the Government and the Waitangi Trust. (2) The rehabilitation of the Treaty house and the immediate surroundings to be provided for by the Waitangi renovation fund in the hands of trustees, to which the public will be invited to contribute, and to which Their Excellencies signified their readiness to contribute £IOOO, spread over two years. STATE GRANT OF £SOO The Government Inis decided to accept most gratefully both these additional offers, and has agreed to make a grant of £SOO for .the purpose of renovating buildings, fences, etc., one-half_ of this amount being made available this financial year. Tn addition, the Government proposes to arrange for unemployment relief funds to be expended in cleaning the land, and on other works which may be required for this purpose. It is intended to establish an unemployment relief camp in the locality. “I feel certain that I am voicing the oninions, not only of members of the House, but also of citizens generally of the Dominion, when I say that we appreciate most whole-heartedly the very r renerous action of Their Excellencies in enabling the historic area to he preserved to the nation for all time,’.’ said Mr. Wirtes. “I do not 'consider it out of Mace on my part as Prime Minister to sav that of the many tangible evidences of keen interest which Their Excellencies ha ,T e displayed in the welfare of Yew Zealand during their term of office, this gift of the Waitangi estate is outstanding, and will increase in no small measure the alreadv deep esteem and affection in which they are held.”

BILL FINALLY .PASSED

The Loader of the Opposition, Mr ]i. H. Holland, endorsed the Prime Minister remarks. He said Their Excellencies ’ precious gift of New Zealand’s most historic spot was appreciated by all sections of the ■community. Air Holland suggested that the South Island Maoris might be represented on the Trust, Board by. the member for Southern Maori, and lie was sure it would be appreciated if a member of the Opposition were also appointed. Mr Tirikatene, who jointed in expressions of appreciation of the gift, said the ancestors of the -South Island Maoris had signed the treaty, and for that reason he agreed with Mr Holland M suggestion. i,Sir Apiraua Ngata said he hoped Mr Tirikatene would not regard the matter us one bbiween the islands, The tribes living south of Auckland had accepted the decision of Their Excellencies to have one representative. There was no doubt that the fust claim to representation was that of the Ngnpiihi.s. It was to the credit of the pakeha that, ho had always encouraged and lived up to the principles'of the treaty. By their gift Their Excellencies had rendered a service that must become part and 'parcel of the .joint history of the Maori and nakeha people. ■ Mr W. Nash (Lab., Mutt) suggested that the member for the Bay of Islands should, ox-officio, be a member of the Trust Board.

Mr \V. E. Barnard (Lab., Napier) recalled that it. was 16 years since Mr T. Lindsav Buick lmd published his, splendid book, “The Treaty of Waitangi,” which was now almost unprocurable. He suggested that efforts should be made to bring out. a cheap edition of this work, and that some measure of Government, assistance, might reasonably be given with this object in view. A number of other members paid a tribute to Their Excellencies’ gift, The bill was put through all stages and passed, in the Legislative, Council the .bill was pul through, all stages and passed in a fmv minutes.