MR. ROCHE'S MOTION ON NATIVE POLICY.

Waikato Times, Volume VI, Issue 325, 13 June 1874, Page 2

MR. ROCHES MOTION ON NATIVE POLICY.

Thk following is Mr Roches speech in the Protinciul Council to the motion printed in another column, as reported by the D. S. Cross: — Mr Speaker, in supporting this resolution, I should like to state to hon members that I have nothing to say against the officials in that department. .It is against the system I speak, and its abuses. I have lived on the frontier of the Wnikato for ten years, and I narrowly watched the workings of the Native Department up there, and ffoyi v a time I was in favor of it; but now I think it can be done without, and the sooner the system is abolished the better. 1 know it will be a difficult matter to do away with, as numbers are drawing large salaries, and it would not answer chose officials to lose their billets, but the country hhs to pay for all this. Look at what the Native Department costs the colony ; in fact, the defence of the colony costs nearly half a millioua year, and I believe more- than that is speiic in the Native Department- -uselessly spent. Look at the large salaries officials are paid. For instance, in the Waikato, the cost of the depaitroeut there is a very large item, indeed. Now, for the inf»smationof hon members present, I shall just state a few of these items. We will commence with the head office in Cambridge. First, we have a Geueral Government Agent at a large saUiy, but we will say he is required ; but he has a number of clerks employed at large salaries when members of the Armed Constabnlaiy could do the work, which would Bare the colony a pretty fair sum. Next comes the actual natives themselves, seventy of whom receive JSIOO per annum as soldiers, with tliejr ' oißcers receiving- from two to four hundred a year. Of course hon. members will suy we have had their work, but 1 can assure you that ten men would have tl.'ix- i-oro work in the time; aud so far as figli i . •.•.i. those ineu have more than once diatni<' ' 'I tliey will not fight for the pakehas, but t.u . -uld only defend themselves. The Europeans Uj» there won't trust them. J believe myself it there was a row they would give every inlbnna. tiou to the enemy. Now, I ask hon members is it right or just to keep those meu on it at (is a day, when we can get plenty of European* who are willing to work, and men that cm be depended upon, for the same money. Then, again, we eraploy a European aa Nutivcs Magistrate, at a salary uf£K>o per annum, with extins, for which, I m«y Miy, he does Hi tie or nothing — in fact ho has nothing k) do ; the Resident M,igist.iate is quite competent gnd able lo do tlio work, aud uu &uvu lliat item. VVo

also employ m that department a lady who receives U per day to glean information for the General Government Agent. 1 may also state, when the Hon. Mr McLean was up there, he sent her Royal Highness the Princess a present of a saddle, which cost the Government £7 10s, but she would not t-tke it, and sent it back us it was not good enough. The consequence was, they sent to Auckland and paid £1-1 for the best saddle they could get in town. I have known natives, when they stited they were Hauhnns, to ask for ploughs and carts, and get them too, und (hen take thos<* articles a little way out of the settlements and sell them to Europeans fur a little more than half tlie cost f may also state that there is a certain school in the Waikato taught by n native master. This school, 1 believe, cost? the Government over i'soo per annum. £10 per annum is paid by the Government to the master for each child, and I huve been told by good authonty that, as soon as a child comes into ' the world, it is placed on the school roll In fact, tho present mail boy is now on the schocvl hooks. I ask hou members if this system is not a disgrace ; to the colony ? And, to show how far their bribery has gone, when some Maoris stole some cattle from some of the settlers, the Native Department gave them natives) almost the value of the cattle to brinothem back. Now, that is what I say encourages the Maoris to do tho same again. I tell you candidly it is a disgrace to a liritish colony, and a mass of bribery and corruption which ought to be done , away u itU. tf a cliief when he is hard up gets up and says, 'Cease road-making,' immediately the telegraph wires are at work, and two or three native officials fly up and bribe him ; and the fact is, the native did it, as he knew he would get something. I will just conclude by saying that, as long as we have a Native Office, we will have a native question to trouble the public mind- I would impress this on the minds of those hon members who attend the Assembly. Mr Crispe expressed satisfaction with the prepent administration of native afikirs by the Host Mr McLean. Mr Byron endorsed all that Mr Roche had said, but thought that the motion had better be withdrawn, as the passing of it could have i:o effect. Mr (Jarleton 6aid Mr Roche'3 speech, was the best of the session, and condemned the present native policy. Mr Boy lan hoped the motion would not be withdrawn, and Mr Luudon thought that it would Ur. A.^r^Q t ,i,at the Southern members of the Assembly sUonld bo made acquainted wnu ±), o opinion of the Auckland Provincial Council as tex the native policy. He referred to. transactions in thejioith as showing the abuses of the present system.