PARLIAMENT.

Waka Maori, Volume I, Issue 13, 21 December 1878, Page 193

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE. Thursday, 26th September, 1878. electoral bill. {Continued from our last.) Mr. Taiaboa had something to say upon this question. He thought they had settled this question the other night, but on the motion of the honorable member for Waikouaiti the matter had been raised again. "When anything was brought forward, for the Maories, members of the House came forward to object to it. He thought the Government were quite right in giving the Maories this additional right to vote. It was not the Maories alone who had two rights to vote, for the Europeans had about ten such. They had manhood _ suffrage, (this is not correct) and the residential qualification of twelve months' residence in New Zealand. They had also the household and the freehold qualifications. The Europeans had much greater qualifications than the Natives, and therefore, the Natives ought to have this extra vote. Under the Treaty of "Waitangi the Maories were supposed to become one with the Europeans, and the Europeans were not to have greater authority than the Maories; but now, under the laws which he saw passed in the House, the Maories were reckoned less, and had less authority than they ought to have. That was the cause of the troubles in the North Island. The Maories on both si<l e8 —those who were upholding the Government and those who were opposed to it—saw that their authority was less. "When the first Maori members were returned to the House —Paratene, and Tareha, and others —it was said it was-just done by the Government to wheedle the Maories, and he concurred in that opinion. It was through the fighting in the North Island that the Maories were brought into the House, and because the Native people as a rule did not believe in the laws that were made by Parliament. He objected altogether to the- statement made by some honorable members that the. Natives had more authority than they ought to have. He had thought that the honorable member for the East Coast and the honorable member for Waikouaiti would have supported this proposition, and would have given additional facilities to the Maories, because they represented Maories—there 'were Maories. in their districts who were on the roll; but he saw now that they were objecting to this proposition, which was brought forward by the Attorney-General, who was not a representative

of the Maories at all; neither was the honorable member for Rodney a representative of the Maories, because he was elected not by Maories, but by Europeans. The honorable members to whom he had alluded went about amongst their Maori constituents and asked them for their votes, but now that those honorable members had got into the House, they objected to the Maori vote altogether. He thought this Bill ought to be allowed to pass. The franchise here given was only that which the Maorieß already exercised. The opponents of the Bill said that this additional right to vote should be done away with, but that the number of Maori representatives should be increased. He would be very glad, if they were going in that direction, if they would give the statement in writing that evening, so that he might believe that it was true. If they did not, he would know what he might expect when the Bill to give additional representation to the Maories was brought forward-they would object to it. He would not detain the House, and would merely say that the powers of the Maories ought not to be limited, because they were the original people of New Zealand. On the 27th ot September the Bill was read a third time. [With reference to Mr. Taiaroa's statement that the Europeans have several qualifications entitling them to vote, it is necessary to inform our Native readers that they are not entitled to a separate vote on each of those qualifications—each man can claim a right to only one vote on either of the qualifications enumerated, not on each one.]

"Wednesday, 2nd October, 1878. - - yOAITAfffT- TBIBE. -.' " On the motion of Mr. Taiaboa, it was ordered That the report of the meeting between the Native Minister and the Ngaitahu Tribe, at Kaiapoi, in May and June 1878, be laid before this House, and printed. a. mackay's wobk. Mr. Taiaboa moved "That, on Thursday, the 3rd October, this House will resolve itself into a Committee of the "WTiole to consider of a respectful address to be presented to his Excellency the Governor, requesting him to cause the sum of £SOO to be placed upon the supplementary estimates for the purpose of translating into the Maori language Mr. A. Mackay's work on Middle Island Native affairs." In moving this motion he said he did so with a view of getting a sum placed on the estimates which would be sufficient to pay for the cost of translating and printing this book in the Maori language. The other branch of the Legislature had, some time ago, passed a resolution to the effect that the work should be done. Although the resolution referred to was carried by the Legislative Council three or four years ago, nothing had ever been done in the way of hastening on the translation and printing of the book. Mr, Mackay's book was not an unimportant work. In fact, it was one which contained a great deal of infortion, which it was necessary that the Maories should see. He hoped the House would not refuse to pass the motion, because he believed that if it were passed it would be very beneficial to the people. The gentleman who lately acted as interpreter to the Legislative Council was directed to make a translation of the work, but, as far as b.e (Mr. Taiaroa) knew, that gentleman had never done anything in.

the matter. The gentleman who succeeded that officer was also, he believed, instructed to translate the work; but, so far, nothing appeared to have been done in connection with it. Such being the case, he felt that he was compelled to ask that a sum of money should be placed upon the estimates for the purpose of paying somebody to make a translation of Mr. Mackay's work. Mr. Sheehan said that, before Thursday next, the day on which it was proposed to consider the motion, he would enquire into the subject. The debate was then adjourned.