MAORIS AND LAND

Waipa Post, Volume 44, Issue 3196, 28 June 1932, Page 3

MAORIS AND LAND

THE OWNERSHIP SYSTEM.

NEED FOR UNDERSTANDING

The need for a proper understanding of the psychology of the Maori race was emphasised by Judge R. N. Jones, Chief Judge of the Native Land Court and Under-Secretary of Native Affairs, in an interesting and instructive address entitled " The Maori and His Land," given in Wellington recently. The troubles in New Zealand in the past, said Judge Jones, had all arisen through a lack of understanding of the Maoris' point of view. It was not sufficiently understood that the Maori was a very religious man. Everything in his life was governed by ritual—birth, attainment of the rank of warrior, entrance into battle, marriage, and death were all attended with appropriate ceremony. These were Aow perpetuated in the ceremony of the tangi, which still held a great and sacred meaning for the Maori, although some Europeans through lack of understanding were inclined to condemn it. The Maori was good-hearted, industrious, hospitable, and gentlemanly. He was, however, a great stickler for his own ways, and to avoid offending him it was necessary to understand his psychology. It was difficult for a European to realise, said the speaker, how great was the Maori's passion for his land—not any land, but Tiis own, for he could never be persuaded to occupy lands not belonging to his tribe. This was shown some years ago on the East Coast, when a number of Maoris lost all their lands through the liquidation of a land company. Attempts were made to provide for them by placing them on other lands a short distance away, but this was of no use, as the Maoris would not take up land that had not been handed down from their ancestors. All land was community owned. No land belonged to any particular person, although individuals had the right to use the land and receive the benefits of crops produced by their own labours. Maori titles were acquired by discovery, conquest, gift, and descent. Occupation, however, was compulsory, there being no title without it. Te Rauparaha invaded Canterbury and sacked Kaiapohia; however, he acquired no title), because he never occupied the place. But at Spring Greek, in the Blenheim district, he occupied the conquered territory and acquired titular rights. The subsequent attempts by Europeans to buy the land from the locally defeated natives led to the well-known Wairau massacre. The Maori would always fight for his rights, and he recognised no statute of limitations. All wrongs must be righted, with the result that his title was not as safe as a European's, being always in danger of claims presented by other natives, .generally at the instigation of some designing European in the background. Various troubles could arise. For example, in (the cjase of . cOa» quest A might take land from B, who later, with the help of C, would reconquer the land. The descendants o£ all three would be likely to make claims, and it would be very difficult to arrive at the true position. Marriage into other tribes also complicated matters. The person going away lost his rights, but his descendants might wish to return. The first generation would generally be welcomed and received their rights; the second generation might be received, but their claims would be weaker, and any benefits derived by the third generation Would be ex gratia; while the claims of later generations would not be recognised at all. All claims to titles were based on genealogies. Families kept records tracing their descent from the common ancestor — a great feat when they had to depend on memory alone. Although land was communal, portions were allocated to the various tribes, which in turn parcelled it out for use by the various families.

The speaker traced the legislation dealing with Maori lands from the first Act in 1862 to the present day. The Maori had no money to improve his land, and was often blamed for not doing so, particularly by the European who wanted to acquire it. The Maori welcomed the pakeha coming to settle near him, but even when willing to sell he found great difficutly an giving a title. These difficulties were now being overcome. Titles were

investigated and put in order, so that they could be transferred if desired. Money was being advanced to enable the Maori to fence, grass, and stock his lands, and he was fast becoming a successful farmer, an occupation for which he had a natural aptitude and liking. The speaker concluded by appealing for sympathy for the Maoris in their endeavour to stand by the white man.

"There are approximately five cows milked in the North Island for every one milked in the South Island," stated the annual report of the Dominion Herd Testing Federation.