THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1912. EUROPEANISING THE NATIVE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 16 December 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1912. EUROPEANISING THE NATIVE.

Under .-the Native Land A/mendmeint Act passed last session, it will be possible for Natives, who can pw? a.~ education test, and who iaro possessed of sufficient property or means with which to maintain themselves, to assume the status and responsibility of Europeans. The regulations under the Act have -already been gazetted, and these provide that a Native may be Eurppeanised "on satisfying the Native Laaid ■Court that he, or she, possesses the necessary qualifications. The education test has', we understand, been fixed at the tlurd standard. The Act is, no doubt, a step in, the right direction, but, in the opinion of a -great many people, It does not go far enough. The education tost will, in itself, prove an obstacle" to many well-to-do Natives. who otherwise are sufficiently intelligent to look after their own affairs. It will be interesting to discover just how many Natives will avail themselves of the privilege extended them. Once a Native bcomos Europeanised under the Act, he may dispose of his property as ho thinks fit, and will be entitled to vote for European mem- ■ bens of the House- alone. Ho will, however, divest himself of a good" many privileges he at present possesses. For instance, he Will lose all those rights conferred upon .him under the Treaty of Waitangi. His lands will also .bo rated Ln the samo way as European lands, and he will be required 1 to observe European sanitary and other laws. There is a section of the community, inolfuding Sir James Carroll, that argues that the Native is not qualified to transact his own business, and that if he were given his own free will he would soon liecome a charge upon the State. Far ourselves, we do not share this opinion. There are indolent Natives, it [is true; as there are indolent EuroI peaJis. But the communistic system I that lias obtained among the aboriginals, together with tbo lack of individual responsibility produced by the special treatment of the State, haa had the effect of destroying the thrift and industry of the Native. We are of the opinion that if the Natives were placed on the same footing in all things as Europeans, they Would manifest R greater interest m their :

own welfare, and would bo of greater value to the Stato than they are under existing conditions. It may bo urged that if Maori women were given the rights of Europeans they would debauch themselves with strong drink. Wo do mot believe there is the slightest need for apprehension on this score. Taking them as a people, tho younger generation of Natives' aro quite as well able to look after themselves as the average Eui<opean. There u» no reason why they should bo treated as uncivilised, uneducated, and unable to transact business in an intelligent way. For our part, we .should have preferred to have seen the compulsory Europeanising of every M-aori under twentyfive years of age, and applying the education, and other tepts only to the older Natives. The time is coming when the whole of the restrictions and disabilities placed upon +he Maori will be removed, and he will be made amenable tc European law. Tn the meantime, the amendmemt passed last session will pave the way to tho inevitable merginrr of the Wo races*. Its operation mav be attended with far-reaching results in the way of land settlement, wnd for that reason it will he watched with more than ordinary interest.