NATIVE QUESTIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10824, 18 July 1913, Page 1

NATIVE QUESTIONS.

LAND SPECULATION. HALF-CASTE INTERPRETERS AND LAWTERS. [From Oun Coiirespondent.] WELLINGTON, July 17. . Some stringent comment was made by the member for Waikato to-day in the relation, of the speculation in Maori lands. " The wrong class of people are getting hold of the Native land of this country. It is not the Government who are getting it, but speculators, half-caste interpreters and solicitors from the city, who are scheming all the time to get the land, from the Natives," said Mr Young, who in condemnatory terms proceeded " They go to the Natives and say, 1 Look here, the Government are trying to get your land from you. You had better put your signature to this and sell it to us for a decent price.' Many of these exploiters go along and offer sixpenco and a shilling moro than the Government price, knowing well that at the worst the Government will pay them to buy it up." The member expressed the opinion that no Native land should be bought under specific conditions, including fixed improvements within twelve months of purchase. At present bona fide settlers and settlers' sons had to go about the country and pay big bonuses to those speculators in order to obtain land. All Native land should, moreover, bo sold only in the open market, which would be a good thing, not only for the Natives, but for the people of the country. The member also expressed the opinion that the Native Land Court should not be allowed to partition Native land without making provision for roads to the blocks and sections. THE TANGI EVIL. The member for Waikato, speaking dhis afternoon of the outbreak of smallpox, said it was lucky for the Maoris that the outbreak had not occurred in the summer time. What with flies, crowding, and other unusual circumstances, there would have been sad havoc wrought in some of tho Maori kaiangas. An important point he emphasised was the necessity of insisting upon the reporting of every death among tho Natives. This had been exemplified in tho fact of a doctor coming upon a taiigi at a kainga in the Waikato the other day and finding tho body to bear unmistakable evidences of smallpox. In another caso a dead Maori over whom a tnngi was recently held died of consumption. Such things should not be allowed to happen, said Mr Young. He contended that tangis should in all cases be limited by law to not more than two days, and in enses where death had occurred from some infectious or contagious disease tangis should be prohibited altogether. (Members: Hear, hoar.)