MR LANG ON THE LAND IMPROVEMENT AND NATIVE LAND BILL.

Waikato Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 3483, 25 October 1894, Page 8

MR LANG ON THE LAND IMPROVEMENT AND NATIVE LAND BILL.

In the course of the debate in the House on the above Bill the member for Waipa said :-

I think there is no measure to which we should attach greater importance than one to provide for the making of roads and bridges to open up for settlement the back country. I may say that we cannot expect settlers to succeed if they have not the means of getting their produce to market. The difficulties of so many settlers arise from the fact that it is impossible for them to sell their stock or produce. A good deal has been said about clause 4, under which the Minister may allow persons to,settle on Crown lands to improve the same. I think that is a very good clause so long as proper regulations are made. I take it that by this the Miuister intends to make it possible for people without capital'to settle on the land and to find work for them—which, of course, means cash-till they are in a position to get a return from the land. But there is one thing that' should be guarded against, and that is if the Government mea.nto pay a man the full value for clearing the bush, at the end of the time he might leave it and get another job elsewhere ; and that would not be carrying out the

intention of this clause. 1 think that v \ such men should only be paid in cash to % the value of half wagcsin the first plaice, and the other half should be expended in paying for grass seed, fencing and other' improvements, This would insure that none but bona fide settlers would take up land. Speaking to Part 11. of this Bill, I may say that in my electorate there is a very large quantity of native land. In oue block there isan area equal in extent to a great mauy .of the electorates of this colony. This land has remained unoccupied for a' great many years, and I think that .anyone who approved of, the, Land for. Settlements Bill cannot fail to vote for this measure, for this Ithink is superior in every way to the Land for Settiemer»ts' Bill. These Bills have been compared,but lifiihk they are very different, for the' Lands' for Settlements Bill takes land from people who have the privilege of selling 'their laud in the open market if they think fitj but the native lands-afc least those in the King Country—can still only be sold Jo the Crown. The natives have riot the privilege of havioga voice in theva'uing of , their land. I was very glad to hear the honourable member .for Waiapu state tlitifc ■ ilie natives have been unfairly treated in the past, and lam sure I can 'bear that statement out'from my own personal knowledge. Iknow a case in which only a V| out a/quarter of the price that could have been got for the lands if placed in the open market was offered by the Government. I think,; so far as native lands are,.concerned, it is altogether Unnecessary to borrow money for the purpose of settling them; and I will endeavour to 0 explain my views on that subject, j If the Government were tosellthe land they have acquired, and aliow the natives to have a free hand with their own land,; the .country would./be settled in a very short time. That might easily be done in this \yay : The Government should act' as agents for the sale of the land, and place the same '/con* ditipns on it as on 'Crown lands, regulat • ing the size of Mocks that could be/disposed of. I should like to give the o'pin: ■ ion of a stranger on .the way the natives have been..treated by the Government .. with repaid to their land. To do that,l--will'read a small portion of a 'dipping ■•'from a newspaper. This is how' it strikes aivAivst'alian :- " An Australian, who has just made a trip into the ttiug-country. sends an account of whatjie.saw. - One Maori chief whom he saw expressed himself as much annoyed that the Government had prevented him from selling,land to Europeans. The nativasat that place had thrto acres cultivated, while they pos* sessfid miles of virgin.land. Our corns"poudentthenpweeds: '"The whole, of th(?;'t!Oiintry I passed'over was .splendid limestone,country, where no.: grass-seed ' * has i>eeu. planted, but here and-there were patches of grass*, the seed brought;.there i evidently by horses. Oue can see how

this grass is working the fern out and taking strong hold. . . . And all this great country doing no good to anybody ! It struck me as Very extraordinary that New Zealand should allow their Government to buy such a property as the Cheviot-Estate, which would cost pounds per acre, whereas there are miles of grand country to be got for some shillings per acre. If the South Island is so thickly populated that there is no room for the people, why not open this country and send the Southerners up here? There is plenty of room without cramping the native. Looking at the Cheviot Estate transaction, and seeing'all the idle country south of Auckland, I can only put it down to a bid for political power, and it is a pity the North Island allows it, If the Government would allow the white man to deal with the Maori, holding the power of sanctioning all arrangements, there would be no such thing as the landgrabber getting in, and this country would soon be trade remunerative to Government, settlers and Maori.'" I may say the Government, are very much to blame for not * having done more to settle the native 'lauds. If they had u?ed the same amount of energy in the North as they have used in the South the country would have/been settled many years ago. Ten years ago the restrictions were placed on the land, and no settlement has taken place during that time, and, if things are going on iu the same, way, in all probability thers will be none for the'next ten years/ But if the re* strictions are taken off the land it will be settled in a very short time. It has been said that the Government have not acquired the land because they hacT, not the means of doing so ; but this is not correct, for they have not even expended all the money that they had; ; at their disposal. If this Bill passes there will be no excuse then for! Government, not acquiring the land, and for that' reason I shall support the second reading of the Bill. •-:,'•'"'/■"• ,/