NATIVE LAND

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20671, 9 March 1937, Page 5

NATIVE LAND

CONFISCATED AREAS COMPENSATION CLAIM By Telegraph —Press Association AUCKLAND, March 8. Important pronouncements bearing on the vexed subject of native land compensation claims were made by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, in reply to representations made to him at the Princess Te Puea’s Pa at Ngaruawahia. Mr Savage arrived at the pa during the morning, this being his first call during a hurried visit to the Auckland province before his departure for London. He was given an enthusiastic reception with traditional Maori ceremonial. Leading members of the Waikato tribes greeted the Prime Minister on his arrival, and the Maori “king,” Koroki, also took part in the welcome. A formal request for the consideration of compensation claims so far as they affect Waikato Maoris was put forward by Tumata Mahuta, uncle of the Maori “king.” "The records will show the stage reached in my negotiations with the late Government on the basis of a monetary settlement,” the statement read. “I should be glad on this occasion,, and the people would be pleased to have some pronouncement from you as to whether the Government is prepared to make a settlement of £10,750 per annum as from April 1, 1936, or whether it is the present Government’s intention to make a settlement by the payment of a lump sum of £358,666.” Justice Desired Sir Apirana Ngata, M.P. for the Eastern Maori, said that any possible settlement of the Waikato land compensation claims would have repercussions among other tribes. It had always been customary to keep Maori problems apart from party lines, but it had to be admitted that the advent of the new Government had cleared the atmosphere. Behind the mills of State there were the gentlemen of the Treasury 'who were generally opposed to a generous settlement of the various claims. However, it was hoped that the hard-flsted days of the depression were past and that a more sympathetic outlook could be taken by the present Government. “Two years ago,” Sir Apirana continued, "the Waikato people, with very bad grace, were prepared to accept £5OOO a year in settlement of their claims, but they think that now, under the Savage Government, when money is plentiful, they are justified in asking £lO,OOO. In some quarters it is held that the confiscated lands should be returned; in others that the revenues from these lands should be kept for the Maoris. Some of us recognise that both these proposals are impracticable, but at the same time it is difficult for the pakeha to realise how great a struggle there has been before the Maori could face the indignity of accepting monetary compensation for a blood stain.”

Mr Savage said he agreed that the question should be faced on non-party lines. The matter of the Waikato claims had been considered by a Royal Commission, but even on that occasion the claims were not nearly so substantial as those now made. In 1935 the then Government had offered £5OOO annually and a principal sum of £lOO,000 against the Maoris’ claim for a sum of about £350,000. The Commission assessed the value of the confiscated lands at about £3OOO per annum. Tribunal Suggested “I am not here to-day for the purpose of splitting straws,” the Prime Minister continued, “and it is not likely that this Government will be less generous than its predecessor. Apart from that it should be possible for representatives of the Government and the Waikato Maoris to meet in conference to consider all the evidence and come to a common understanding suitable to both parties. The Government would even be prepared to set up a tribunal—not Royal Commission—to reach finality in the matter. After the q :tion of compensation has been settled, the responsibility will be on the Government to see that the Waikato people are properly safeguarded, and it seems to me that some form of trust should be created to deal with the position. In this manner it should be possible to place the native race beyond the reach of charity. It has already been shown that the natives are capable of accomplishing great things if they are given a reasonable opportunity. Our main objective is to do justice to the native race, and this applies with equal force to compensation claims from all parts of the Dominion." Further claims for compensation regarding confiscated lands were made on behalf of the Maori people at Orakei and Tauranga. In each case the Prime Minister replied that similar procedure to that suggested for the Waikato claims could be. followed.