HOUSE.

Waka Maori, Volume 12, Issue 22, 7 November 1876, Page 275

HOUSE.

PORIRUA SCHOOL RESERVE. Mr. Taiaroa, in moving the motion standing in his name, said he was glad at last, after waiting two months, to have an opportunity to say a few words on this subject. Before proceeding further, he would read the report of the Committee, which was as follows: " The petitioners pray that land granted by their tribe to the Bishop of New Zealand may be restored to them, the conditions of the grant not having been complied with. " I am directed to report as follows: —That the educational reserve referred to in the petition is a block of land situated at Porirua, in the Province of Wellington, containing 500 acres, which in the year ISSO was conveyed by Natives of the Ngatitoa and Ngatiraukawa tribes to the Bishop of New Zealand, in trust for religious and educational purposes. " There can be no doubt, from the terms of the grant, that the erection and maintenance of a school at Porirua formed the principal conditions of the trust; and it seems equally clear, from evidence taken by the Committee, that a school has not been erected there. Moreover, it does not appear that there is any intention on the part of the trustee to fulfil this condition of the trust. " This Committee are not prepared to say that it

would "be now either wise or expedient to erect a school on this particular piece of land for the purposes indicated in the grant, and still less are they disposed to recommend that legislative action should be taken for the conveyance of the land in question to the petitioners. But your Committee are of opinion that, if any educational reserves are similarly situated to this one, the present position of the religious, charitable, and educational trusts of the colony requires the most serious aud careful consideration of the House." He thought he would be justified in asking the House and the Government to concur in the report of the Committee. The land was given to the Bishop of New Zealand for the purpose of erecting a school and for religious purposes, because at the time the Natives were anxious that they and their children should be taught the English language, and receive religious training. To this purpose they devoted 500 acres of land. The land was not given to the Bishop to become his own property —they wished to see a school erected for the benefit of the Native children; but up to the present time neither a church nor a school was erected on the land. He understood that the land was now leased, and that the rents were applied for other purposes. He thought it was wrong to take the land from the Natives in this way, when the conditions upon which it was asked for originally had not been at all fulfilled. The grant stated that the land was to be for the erection of a school for the children of this colony; but it was specially set forth that that school should be erected at Porirua. He thought a quotation from the Book of Kings would be applicable in this case. David, the King of Israel, went to get some land on one occasion on which to erect an altar. The land was given to King David for nothing. King David refused to take it without paying for it. He said it was not right that God's altar should be erected upon land that was not paid for. Now, with reference to the land alluded to in this motion, the Bishop of New Zealand was like King David. He got the land from the Natives for the purpose of putting a building upon it—for the purpose of erecting an altar upon it. The Natives gave the land up for nothing, and the Bishop had omitted to consider the question of paying for it. The Maoris had two grievances in respect to this land. One was that there was no school in which the children might have been educated, and the other was that the land had gone from them without their having received any consideration. He asked that the recommendation made by the Committee might be favourably considered by this House. He thought the petitioners were justified in petitioning this House in accordance with the terms of the grant. He would not take up the time of the House further now. He begged to move the motion standing in his name. Motion made, and question proposed, " That the report of the Native Affairs Committee on the petition of "Wi Parata and others, relative to lands at Porirua conveyed by Natives of the Ngatitoa tribe in trust as a school reserve, be referred to the Government, with an expression of opinion by this House that the G-overnment should take steps to enforce the performance of the trusts for which such land was given by the Native owners, or to compel the trustees to restore the land to the original owners." Sir D. McLean thought the Natives had a good deal to complain of in this particular case. It was within, his own recollection that this land was granted by the Natives on the distinct understanding that a

school should he.established at Porirua. Since that time nearly all the Natives living there had left the place or had died off, and no school had been erected, although an attempt was made on one occasion to erect a school there. He believed the land was leased to Europeans, and that the proceeds were applied to the maintenance of the Native school at Otaki. He considered the report of the Committee, and the request made by the Natives that the Grovernment should endeavour to get this matter arranged with the trustees, were fair and reasonable; and the Grovernment would be prepared to give the matter its earliest consideration. Mr. Bbandon moved, That all the words after " government," where it first occurs in the motion, be struck out. This amendment was negatived, and the words ordered to stand part of the question. The hour of half-past five o'clock having arrived, Mr. Speaker left the chair.