LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11736, 19 September 1906, Page 4

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Wellington, September 18. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. ITJae Jurenile Offenders and Sale of Explosive Bills were read a third time and passed. Mr MacDonald resumed the debate upon Mr Ormond's motion for an extended return or Native waste lands. He criticised the apathy of the Native Land Department, and the apathy of the people especially io the South Island respecting the question of deaiiner with Native lands. It was not the fault of the Maoris, who represented five per cent of the population, but of the Europeans, representing 95 per cent, that millions of acres were lying unutilised, and returning nothing to the revenue. Every Maori who toiled hard had a right to share in this land, and he asked, Had not the European childrenja right to share in it also? The present position could not possibly continue. To overcome the dicffiulty the first process was to sweep away the multitudinous Acts relating to Native lands, then every acre of land the titles to which had not been individualised should be taken over by a Crown Commission, who should then report upon the value of the whole'of the lands, and as to what should be reserved for residential purposes. Twenty acres would be sufficient for each Native, and one million acres would give this area to every Maori. That would leave between three and four million acres which were suitabe for settlement, and which would give a fair return to those who took up the land. When the value was estimated the Government should issue bonds through the Public Trust Office for the amount, which should remain in trust -until the Maori titles were settled, and interest should be given to holders of the land. He contended that the policy of dealing with the Maori lands by a Maori Parliament and Maori Boards had proved a complete failure, and it was necessary to adopt suchßn r"%L, ; "^ »ahfl had suggested to g na V,io Europeans to aouuie u P o«, available lands of the Colony. He doubted, however, if the present Native Minister would be able, owing to the peculiarities of his position, to give effect to such a policy. Mr Mahuta entirely agreed with Mr MacDonald in his proposal for sweeping away the old Native land laws and establishing new laws to enable the lands to be thrown open. Mr Rigg, who considered the motion by Mr Ormond had been brought down under false pretences, drew

attention to the apparent ignorance of the previous speakers of the i&ct that a definite Native land policy had been outlined in the Budget— a better policy than that outlined by either the mover or Mr MacDonald. It would, he said, be impossible to deal with the whole question in one Teasure. ; The Attorney - General had declined to refer to Mr Ormond's reference to the general land policy on the ground that it was contrary to the Speaker's ruling to do so, but on the Native land question, he stated that Mr Ormond had express ed the approval of many points in the Land Act of tbe last Parliament,

and had approved of the policy enunciated by the late Mr Seddon. He defended the Native Minister from the accussation of apathy, and quot-

ed statistics to show that a great

deal had recently wbeen done towards acquiring Native lands and individualising titles. He had no objection to the motion, but it must be understood that in voting for it, he in no way subscribed to the views of the mover. Mr Ormond, having replied, the motion was carried on the voices. The Council adjourned at 5 p.m.