EAST COAST LANDS.

Wananga, Volume 1, Issue 10, 24 December 1874, Page 54

EAST COAST LANDS.

August 26th 1874. Mr. W. Kelly, in moving the Motion standing in his name, would state that several petitions had been sent to this House from the Arawa tribe, living in the Bay of Plenty. A numerous tribe, who had always acted loyally to the European population of this country, and had for a long period fought on our side, requesting that the restructions at present imposed upon leases and sales to Europeans should be removed. They urged that the Act of confiscation had prevented them obtaining a fair" price for their Land. They had sent several petitions on the subject, containing over 700 signatures, and they had now sent some of their chiefs as delegates to Wellington to prevail upon the Members representing the Native race and any other Members with whom they might come in contact to endeavour to induce the Government to withdraw those restrictions; when they would be in a petition to compete with any Europeans who

intended to lease "or purchase the Native Land. Motion made, and question proposed, "That, in the opinion of this House, it is necessary, in justice to the Natives and in the interest of- European settlement, that the restrictions at present imposed upon leases and sales to Europeans in the Arawa country, and in certain districts on the East Coast, should be removed. Sir D. McLean, said that in dealing with very large questions, the Government found itself very often in a position of being compelled to impose those restrictions from a variety of causes, .causes which might embroil the different tribes of Natives in difficulties one with the other. He was aware that serous difficulties in different parts of the Island had been prevented from the fact that the Government had sometimes stepped in and imposed those restrictions. . He thought the better course for the Honorable I Member to adopt to withdraw the Motion, and leave it for the Government to make full inquiry into the matter. The Arawa's were a very loyal and faithful tribe; they had always fought on the side of ihe Government, and were entitled to receive every possible fair play and consideration at the hands of the Government. The Government did hot impose those restrictions simply from any desire to obtain extension of territory: they did so upon political reasons. The Government would not shrink from the responsibility attached to questions which might affect the peace of the Island ; and he thought a question of this kind was one which might fairly be left to the Government, as one of those matters of administration with which the Government, was best able to deal. He felt sure that the action which the Government would take in the matter would give satisfaction to the Honorable Member, and that it would also meet with the approval of the petitioners. Mr. W. Kelly, in reply, said he was quite willing to leave the matter in the hands of the Government. He had, had communication with the Native Minister on the subject. Before leaving the district to attend the session of Parliament, he attended a Meeting of Arawa chiefs, held at Maketu, and they expressed themselves strongly in favour of having the right to lease or dispose of their Land to private individuals. He would ask leave to withdraw the Motion. Motion by leave withdraw.