MAORI CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 251, 16 July 1908, Page 8

MAORI CONGRESS.

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. NATIVE FARMING. 1 ASPECTS' OP.LAND QUESTION. ' . The industrial life of tho Maori, with special-reference to farming, agricultural education, >and certain aspects of the Native land question, formed the subject of disoussion by tho Maori Congress. yesterday morning.. Mr. J.-.Thornton,, President of the Te Auto Association, presided over- the . gathering, which was held in the Munici- /■; • pal Concert Hall.. Nearly two hundred ■-.-■Natives attended. ■■;..'■• V MR. A. T. NGATA'S ADDRESS. STRIKING FIGURES. ■ Mr: A; T.'Ngata, M.P., said that in 1907 the number of.sheep.-owned by North Island Maoris was 270,000, to which total prac- ■ tically every county contributed. '. The. lar-; gest sheep farming districts in the island were the -Waimarino County, with a portion of Rangitikei, and portions of the Cook'and iWaiapu ■ Counties. In the Cook and Waiapu Counties,. with • a total Maori population 0f.5000, the number of Maori ; sheep amoun- . tod to nearly 120,000, the flocks averaging in size'from about 800 to' 9000. : Whereas in 1898 the Maori sheep in the- Waiagu , County numbered, .only 47,000, they were now on the, point of touching 90,000;. almost'twico as many-, in ten years. In. 1898 ■the' average clip was 4ilbs., and this.-was . poor, short,wool, which fetched poor prices) but in.i9o7 ;the averago.had increased to 7Jlbs., and ono or,two. stations were getting . • from .Jd.', to l&. the best European ; . wool in the, market.; . :Much ; scientific , study, careful breeding, and: slnlful "classification- of 'the. wool: had been required,"be- . fore these results could be attained;. If such •-■•'. advances-, could ' be - effected - in one . district,' they -could be' effected in . any - other,\ with . proper: agricidtnral instruction ' and a scientific study of the industry. In the Waiapu . County they - had brought under : cultivation 150 per cent, more country than formerly, . for fewer 'sheep were being run. to. the acre. Formerly,: so many sheep .wero being ; farmed- • to-the acre thattho :. sheep - were • being • starved. ; : . They . had -reduced . the carrying • capacity. from.' 2J or- three to IJ.: In one county,- where there were <2800 Maoris,, the amount-of former- bush viand now- utilised ■every year was 4200 acres. , Dairying and other Industries. ■ .They could'see the movement going round • to the ,?ay of Plenty now. In four or five • years there' would be a, tremendous, sheep. - industry in the Opotiki district. The Bay of Plenty, until two or three years back} was an-agricultural;district.; In 1900, from: '■•"■ one' hapu numbering fewer' than 80 people; - there were . sent to Auckland' 6000 sacks of ■ ■ maize,'.-.' representing a.* net' , revenue of -£2500.. From Whakatane alone, 'i from a much' smaller :area than .the Ngatiporou were cultivating, theire was a larger agricultural output than from all the Wair , poua district. - Mr. Ngta...; described : the i rapid., development' of a ! . cheese factory - at Ruatiiki,'. where they.; were recently milking . * :400 cdwsi''"'there' i w ; erei 33 milk and -- on a recent visit he found. £2000 worth of ■ - cheese; in the factorie's. In the Nuhata dis-; trict the Natives; had doubled their dairying i output during recent years. . They should ' - direct the attention ;bf' : the Government to tho fact that there were Maori farmers who required that 'veiry kind of instruction which ' the Agricultural' Department and it's experi',,'ment stations^" were^.established., to provide. No Government expert', he believed/ had ever . visited any of ; tho' Maori dairying communi- -. ties. , Certainly, none had ever lectured to the Maori farmers. :, . ' ' -.. - In /the 'Hot. Lakes -district there was a. Maori population which carried'out the Government works on the public,-.roads' and in '■■■ the State- nurseries. : The manager of the Government iiuraerios liad. :stated - : that tho - best , workers -he had were the "AVhakarewarewa Natives. 'and Mr. L.' Birksj .the .engineer in charge of R'otorua, had stated'that: the. works of the sabatoririm and on : the roads -. s could not be . carried on without the . present Native labour. "■' ■■■■ ■'■: ' ~m ■ - ■ In the far north tho Natives'forJa''genera-' . tion past had worked at the ' guin industryv The school attendance, of :the -Maoris ; theirhealth. aiid their moralitT? had been: injured by this industry,: , which ;• the' . Natiyes were now leaving,having become' sufficiently resourceful to turn- their attention'' to other ■things. In the'Hokianga district there was the nucleiis of a great farming, dairying, • and fruit-growing industry.'- . With. a Jittlo .! assistance'from .the " State .the . Hokianga . Jlaofis would do great thing's. It was only necessary to take this material in hand and ..organise it, and they would be able, to do anjlhing they liked with such; men. He-had : never met "with Maoris who 'showed,'greater promise for the future.' V 111 th'e . Kaipara district: the timber industry iwas, decaying, i and - population.. i was ■ beginning to centre roun'd the flax,'where tho dairying .was carried on.' This was-one of ..the most hopeful features of tho district. - There were Maoris. . ; there who. from the first had taken work. as their gospel. The chief of those people, who was present.at. the Conference, thought no- ', thing of : milking his hundred cows. In the Waipiro,:-shed there were 90,000 sheep and -100 peoplo' working!' ■ Some of tho highest i chiefs -were ■' foremen in the shearing sheds. . i'.- Land Restrictions. . . ■' 'AH "through the Taranaki ■ district, Maoris vere beginning to engage in the farming indus- - try, but the 1 operation of the present leasehold . \ system was an obstacle to their progress. The Natives could. not .get land, . because all the . . land : was ' under .these loiijg' leases. If the ■ leases were-to be: cancelled' by; thei Public Trustee m favour of the Natives who owned the land, the amount of. compensation 1 required would bo too enormous to contem- .. plate.' -' As :'regards tho Wanganui Natives, ,: v the trouble . was that they had too' much land , to spare, and as long "as .'they had land to sell ' they would not work.' The Wanganui Native's . had formerly been the most ready to work, - but sinco'lßß6, 'when they had commenced to ■ sell large : blocks of land to the Government; - their cultivations had gone back. 'He -. "thought that if it was unwise to lock up too ' much land near the Maori settlements, • a - certain area should'bo held back, for the; next five years, until a now movement' was commenced ; among thesp: Maoris. Their land holdings were now becoming very restricted, they were'leasing far too much, and they were willing to lease'more, but the Native Land Commission had decided that reservations must be made for the'young Natives'of tho future.. Mr. Ngata sj>oke favourably of the condition of the Ngatiapa, in the Ran- • gitikei and, doming further south, gave a good ; report "of the Natives in the Otaki : and -Wairarapa'districts. ■: proposed Communal Farms. . The State.should mako a speciality, of th( Maori farming : communities and • giv< them; proper , .instruction. , . It.'wOuld "b< difficult . ' to institute agricultural colleges ' owing to the' financial expense ' but great- benefits --could - be wroti'ghl how best to; break up their virgin, area's;.ol fern, scrub, and, bush, and afterwards to do Velop the'higher farming, an cxoellent w'orl might, bo, done.; (Applause.) - HON. R. M'NAB'S SPEECH. ONE LAW FOR PAKEHA AND MAORI. The Hon. R. M'Nab (Minister for Agricul ture) said that" he had been a closo studen of Maori history from the -first arrival o Europeans.' To peoplo who told him that.th Maoris .wore not capable of .carrying -on agi-i culture in its highest development, ho, coul only point' out that before the Treaty o • Waitangr'New' Zealand not' only supplie ' - large quantities of.food stuffs for the'Sydno market, but fed a constant fleet of Englisl: American; ' and other whalers. All th writers of -history told what was don in the north,-and ,'h'o' thought th'at Mi . Ngata had struck the nail on the head whe ho said that so long as the Natives coul

sell land they would not go .in for the cultivation of the soil. The-Pakeha behaved in exactly the same way.; The Agricultural Department was not going to draw any distinction between Europeans and Maoris. The Pakehas commenced to cultivate tho soil of this country -without previous experienco or teaching, and they had worked for very many years before they learned tho best methods in which that work could bo done. Tho Agricultural Department: now gathered information from the farmors of New Zealand, and other countries,-which it distributed to the people'of : this country, thus saving them from'tho necessity of learning by experienco and 'mistakes. 1 - ' Th6"'Ma'ori cultivator must get tho . benefit. 1 of .that'- information." An agricultural collego was not exactly what they wanted, since before they came to tho position of needing tho very highest class of instruction thore was a great deal of practical information to be : acquired.--, Ho suggested that.; they, might; givo Mr, t Ngata's'.schemo of instruction ,ah opportunity for trial, and if tho Maoris .woulcf set, aside" suitable areas of virgin .land for a place'of instruction for their young men, the Department would supply instructors. .Ho wanted Maoris who felt this new desire for instruction to'remember that whenever they wanted -the assistance of the. Department's 'experts the Department's services were, as much at their disposal as at that of any Pakeha's' in ' the country. They - should make their. applications to the Minister, and the 'Department would , do everything.in its power to'assist tlie forward movement of the Maori. , (Applause).. , : Mr.-'Ngata proposed-that a circular should be .sent to. the Maori farmers of different districts requesting information with regard .to their experiences. The collation of such information from'year to'year would materially assjst the Department in it's assistance of the Maoris. ' THe would be'willing to assist in darwing ;.'up'"a circular; \: ' ' . ■ MRi WI PERE SUGGESTS A LOAN. I. ' The Hon.!Wi Pere, M;L.C:, thought that the. meeting should ask the Government ' to borrow half a million to assist-tho Maoris, on.the : Advances to.Settlers'.system, to.'carry on their ; farms after-Pakeha'.methods.. They would, of = course, borrow" this money from the /source where-the) interest, was easiest. The Government might say that it could not lend .'the Maoris .money; because they had not proper titles to their lauds. In that case they: would, not be able to do-anything; for itCtook'lohg years, to• establish- titles: to. Na-. tive land," and in tho meantimo.no adequate farming operations could ,bo' ( carried oh. In the midst of these disabilities there .was -the cry "Send .' your to school." - The children.; were, sent'.to school; and while they were -there, learning; European: studies;;their parents: leased the lands-for the.'terms ,of 40 years",-arid ;th'ere .was. no land; for-.the' 1 children to farm until they were old men; Tho best "agricultural ■ college was riot < so', gwji as putting. their hands to work, and what was;- wanted', by ..the 'Maoris was that they, should' bo placed in-a ,position .so that they could -work,. their], oivn: lands. Money should bo advanced to assist them in their,farming operations,' arid they should not have to resort to -private money lenders, who charged high rates, of The next most mi- ■ portarit. thing was to do away with the waipiro. - • ■ ■ • ■ ■ ■ ■.. ; • OTHER NATIVE VIEWS. Mr.; Hone Helte, - M.P., said that they heard fine speeches from Ministers,, but they felt a 1 little doubtful whether all their promises and suggestions were really-genuine. Mr.-.'Wi Pere s ,suggestion would bring the. matter to'a . head, and ': test the sincerity of tlieso promises. . . . ,'lhaia H'utana (Tamatea; Maori -Council), said'that' .tliej great obstacle. to- the young men 'taking-;up (farming-.in bis district was that; -their-, areas of : land were' scattered over various:blocks, and: it was very difficult: to get a large .area in ono place, or to establish titles | of the .separated portions. ■ The Rev. " Mr... Haddori (Taranaki) said that the .-trouble "of the Ngatiawa, Taranaki, Ngatiruani,';and'. Ngatirauru tribes' was' that all their Elands -were'- vested- in the Public Trustee..-. In recent years there had been a growing desire among the young Maoris -to farm their own lands. The Crown possessed a nuinber' of blocks in this district, and ho suggested', that 1 opportunities should be fjven to the.young Maoris'to'.farm areas in theso -blocks'. ■"■ [ '■ '' : The Rev; Nikora Tautau (Tauranga) .' said that' iri his district large areas of-'Native, land were leased for very little. - He had suggested to, the Government that steps sho'uld be' taken for-the'-restoration: of these' lands to tho.Maoris. ' ' ' . A RESOLUTIONS:,COMMITTEE. ■ The following were appointed to_ frame resolutions for submission to the Minister for .Agriculture in accordance ;with the tenor'of tho morning's deliberations:—Messrs. -A. T. Ngata, M.P., Hone Heke, M.P., J. Thorn-ton-Rev. Monfries, Taurau. Toi; Eruera Te Kahu,. Te Heuheu Tukino',' and Huta : Paaka; TRADES AND PROFESSIONS. PROSPECTS OF THE MAORI. .AN INTERESTING.DISCUSSION. Tho Congress resumed '-at 2.30 p.m., Mr. J. Thornton presiding.;.The;topics set down for , discussion were those', relating to the 'employriierit;:of ..the, commerce, Civil, Service, , ■' ' - INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. ' The' Chairriian ibrie'fly addressed the - Congress. ■ 1 The ./future '..or the. Maori race, he' said,, was in; the hands, of: the younger generation, and everything, therefore, depended upon' their training. ' Schoolmasters were frequently met with the question; • " What shall we do with our boys?" , It was a diifi-' cult .question to answer, and still' more 'so with the'boys of the Native Tace. It was not possible, he said, that every one' couldbecome a sheep' farmer, or go on tlie land. Although they . were delighted to see them go on the land,] they did not .want, them all there. For examploj one great want for tho training of their youths 'was ail efficient . staff • of' ' Maori clergymen. They-wanted young men of tho race to coriio forward for' service ;in tlio church, the law, medicine, arid tho schools'. Ho, deprecated the tendency of' youths,: to offer' themselves for clerkships-..in : offices. . ;; They wanted the educated youths of the. race to seire in; tlio midst of' the race, thereby leavening the whole. They should look,-not to tho towns, but .'the country., Industrial crafts held out, equal inducements—all theso considerations woighed in' tho question of-tlie modorn development'of the race. It'was, then, their idea to. create and .foster ■ a healthier and progressive', condition of .Maori public opinion with regard to theso matters, and to evolve such schemes as: would t'ond to thoir 'higher . development; arid race;preservation., : v str. Alcxahder Wilson. Principal'of St. vSte- : phen's Maori Boys' College,-Auckland, said 1 that they, at St. Stephen's, wore .'not. so well . placed as other schools for giving l adequate instruction in : practical agriculture,' ■ ahd i therefore, we're un'ablo :'to g'o; further than enunciate .and elaborate; the main 'principles of that important; subject. This year,'they were l devoting special' .'attention, ; to the scientific"" aspects 1 of 'manures .and > dairying, .'and had also- given soiho ! attention , to " carpentry. • During the 1 past four years, tlio bo.ys of St. Stephen's ' had•' been.employed,'• siitce* leaving the school, 1 in the .following trades: —Coachbuilders,• 2; i railway mechanics, 2; blacksmiths and whcel- : 'wrights, 3; bicyclo making, 1; painters,. 1; " bookbinders, 1; carpenters and buildors, 3; : saddlers, 3; tent makers, 1; motor-car chauffour," 1; orchardists, 3'; chemist's assistant, I;, drapery, and soft goods', assistant's, 2; clerks to, tho Public Trust Office, 1. Four of the boys had taken up their studies at.the Theological College at To" Rau. 'Not all of tho foregoing had remained in their occupations, and , ho had, therefore, como. to tlio conclusion that apprenticeship in the trades was t necessary: if the young Maori craftsmen f wero to be steadied in their ideas. ■ Nov'crthce loss, it was due to them to say that their ser- - vices had. in'every case, given entiro satis--3 faction to their employers. There was, he 'f felt: sure,: in Auckland, if. not other large d centres, a splendid industrial field for the y .young Maori. But town life, he agreed with i, the, chairman," was not altogether to bo doe .sired, and it was doubtful whether the Maori e should bo encouraged'to go into the towns, r. If,'in the opinion of delegates, it was neeesn sary that certain of their young men shoulc d be:trained"in industrial crafts in tho towns

some stiitahlo plnco should he found for thorn to board at. Tho accommodation at St. Stephen's was limited, and it might ho desirable for the Congress to urgo upon the trustees of tho College tho advisability of enlarging that institution; if that could not bo done, then tho Government might bo asked to assist them in the matter; if they failed thore, then tlicy would have to do tho work thcmsolvos'., BACK TO THE POINT. . '.'Mr. Timoti' Maitai.. (Tolaga Bay) said lie thought that the'business of tho Congress was not in nccordanco with the order, paper. No doubt'the To Auto Boys understood what was going - on, but ho had . understood that "Trades," not "Agriculture," was tho topic set-.'down for discussion. Many Maoris had little or 110 land, and a trade was for' theni necessary. Referring to his own district, lie would say that great advancement had . taken place , among the young men of the district. Having little or no land, it was impossible .for: them to take part in these discussions on- agriculture.-; Their, land was held under the communal, riot the individual title. The liquor traffic had also ' disorganised,- to a great extent, those efforts which had been made towards the reformation of. their people. Questions of agriculture should: be confined, exclusively' to those who had plenty of'land. . ; ' . Mr. Hone Paerata (Tokomaru) said that he had experienced the usual thousand and other difficulties .which stood in the way of developing his industry. Ho thought that the Maori should receivo the same advantages as the Pakeha in respect of Advances to' Settlers. There was no doubt that the system of educationweighed so heavily.upon' parents, that they were forced to part with portions 'of their holdings in order to mako their pay-ments-.'and': provide for themselves and families. .. They wanted assistance in the matter of developing agricultural pursuits. • The Chairman here drew-.the speaker's attention to the fact that lie was wandering from : the subject. Tho question was that of employment' as it referred to trades, commerce,, Civil/Service, and professions.- ': At this stage, it was explained'that, owing to ari 'error 'in."the order paper, some 1 of tho delegates'.were'under tlie impression that the subject to,be.discussed was "Agriculture." . MEDICAL ASPECTS. " Doctor Buck .(Native Health Department) said he sincerely hoped that they would not, in. tlfeir. deliberations, .overlook tho medical aspect of; their, aims.. Statistics showed. that the 'principal ailments of the Maori wore chest aiidi lung troubles—asthma; bronchitis, . con-sumption,-j^-andv 1 other, kindred -complaints. Maori lads who were physically predisposed to- such; ailments' should, be deterred from seeking .employment -in tho' ' Strong lads • might . 'profitably tako up industrial crafts, but when.: all. was said and done, the main consideration was that of health. A healthy body was infinitely moro to bo aspired, to -than' success in arts, crafts,' Or clerkships, if service in these occupations pro-duced'ill-health. The' Maori was, constitutionally'speaking, boni to the open' airland a life'of' industry in his natural environment was. preferablo t.o the attractions of clerkships, or Government billets.', REV. A. .0, WILLIAMS'S VIEWS. The Rev. A. 0. "Williams (Putiki, 'Wanganui), said that if a real interest was taken in tho Maori boys and girls after they left school there was, very Tittlo danger'of their forgetting what they learned-at school. St. Stephen's , Native -School, at Auckland, was doing* splendid work',-' and had turned out some excellent men.- He.reviewcd the successes of-formeir-Tb'Ante boys, and stated tliat he did not; believe that tho Maoris were, necessarily lazy.-They could work as hard as any other - people. • • Referring: to the - Maori ■ Mission. he said that ho would never rest until the- Maori, olergy were paid a living wage. Ho spoke-of: a Te Auto student who had thought- of entering tho Anglican ministry, iii which, : after -a long theological course; he would have received the'princely stipend of £70' a year. Instead of this, he entered Gover'nriient' employ at a salary of £156 a year. The speaker had advised To Auto students not,to enter, tho ministry at a smaller salary than-£loo.a year, ,and had promised to. increase their stipends to that amount, from his own pocket if necessary, rather than allow them to be so wretchedly underpaid. His heart was with tho Maori people, and he intended to work for them .'to the last. "CO ON THE LAND." Professor-Kirk said that the. worst possible tiling that could be done for the Maori race - was' to employ, tho young 'Maoris in tho towns. -Every Maori who was taken from the kainga, and turned-into a European in that .way was lost to his race. There must bo exceptions to the rule j young . Maoris were .heeded perhaps as politicians, lawyers, and doctc>fs,.but they should not bo removed from contact with their own race.- The young Maori.should follow tho examplo of-tho,young ,Japaneso, who Went abroad to gain enlightonment ; and camo back to .spendhis knowledge in , tlio service of his people. Tho educated young Maoris should live in-the kaingas, as far as possible, where they could set an example to ■ their fellows, and raise others to their own level. On behalf of tho Maori! race lie .grudged tho legal student's, the Government workshop employees,, and others who had found employment in tho towns. , Tho Maoris should chooso trades which would be useful to their people. One obstacle, to the young Maori tradesman had been the difficulty of earning money by his calling among his own tribe, but that was perhaps the outcome of the communistic system, which was now passing away. ' Hon' Tuaro (Hokianga) heartily endorsed Professor Kirk's remarks, and opposed the bringing, of . Maori .girls into the cities to seek ■ employment, for. the same reason that ■they become lost to the race. ,-•■ "Paratene Ngata (East Cape) spoke to. tho same- effect. ■ INFLUENCE, OF NATIVE SCHOOLS. Mr., W. W. Bird, Inspector of Nativo Schools, said that tho very first idea' of Maori education had been to tako away' a number of. adults and children from tho settlement, collect them in ono' large house, and there': feed, clothe,' and teach them. Tho system.-broke down, partly because of. its expense, and also because it was found that these Natives, on returning to their Iciihgas, were out, of touch with-their people, (l'he Government did its best to apprentice lojs only to thoso trades that wero useful 'to the race. Carpentry, saddlery, and blacksmithing -.were'the trades, preferred, and tho. Government had refused several applications 'tc apprentice bpy;s to tailors. He admitted that the .Maoris found it difficult to earn irionej by their .tradfes-,in the kainga. The best place to train girls was in the kaingas; in s ddz'on, Native, schools tho girls, wefo. taughl different forms of domestic economy. Sew. irig "was. V subject in all the Nativo schools and cooking and tho uso of! the sewing machine'were also taurjht. , MAORI SPEAKERS. . Taurau Toi (Hokianga) thought thatsonn scheme .should be devised for dealing witl Maori boys when they left school. He w'ai against putting their girls to service with thi common type of Pakeha. He thought thai tbo : young Maori, men would • make capabli i electrical; engineers if they hail, tho oppor i trinity." ' Rapihana Hawaikirangi ■ (Hawked Bay thought that, tho Native school teacher, ; might advise -parents as to, the Industrie: ! and 'occupations for ■ which their childrei • attending school were fitted. ■ lhaka Whanga . (Wairoa, Hawko's ' Bay) was 'entirely: in favour of having .tho younj people educated,- and lie hoped that • somi • schemo. would bo adopted at. tho Congres, ' for their permanent 'occupation after tho; > had finished.their education. • ■ j Tuchu Pomaro (Wairoa, Hawko's Bay) said that ho had been told by his peoplo t ' tell tho Congress, that tho Mormons, hai 5 bought land in his; district, and intendod t orcqt a- collogo thero for tho tuition of th . young Natives of both Islands. They mean . to teach, not only handicrafts, but the pro - fessions and arts. The land bought consistei > of over 130 acres. • j M. Heremia, a. Mann lady of tho-'AVoi I rafapa, said. that, there was a Jittlo colleg l there, whoro" various subjects were taught - She.concluded her speech with an old tim i song, which the Congress took up in a lo\ tone, dealing with the ancestor of disease: - Tamihana Tikitcre (Rotorua),said that hi i tribe had allotted 600 acres to provide, a sit and grounds for a technical school. The Got

gross should urge ilie Govornment. to go on with their part of the work at once, rinrl riot follow the" taihoa " policy. 'They' Had' sot apart n further area of '600 acres for purely educational purposes. The Rev. I'\ A. Bennett was in chargo of these matters.