MAORI ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 684, 8 December 1909, Page 8

MAORI ASSOCIATION.

THIRD ANNUAL MEETING. NATIVE LAND LEGISLATION. The Maori Association, of which the third annual meeting opened in the Sydney Street Hall last evening, is a body which has grown to large proportions in a short time. It has a membership of 4700, and a general council of no less than 280 members. The object of the association is generally to promote Nativo interests, moro especially in regard to the land question. An unfortunate time was chosen for the annual meeting, since most of the Maoris are occupied at present with shearing and other avocations, but 50 members, representing hapus from tho Bay of Islands to tho lower part of the South Island, attended tho preliminary meoting yesterday. The. president. Mr. To Heuhen Tukino, occupied the chair. \.

A large number of questions will bo dealt with by the conference, which will be continued at tho office of the secretary, Mr. Parata, Lambton Quay, this afternoon. First in importance are tho now Native Land Bill, and the Government's proposals for rating on Native land and spending half a million on the purchase of Maori lands. The association will'consider whether it is advisable that Natives' should part with their lands on the scale contemplated by. the last-montioned proposals. It will also consider the question of finding some means to facilitate tho working of their lands by Natives. The doubtful increase of Maori population will be considered, and means of bringing about a closer relationship between Natives and Europeans for their common benefit. Steps will also be taken by the association to securo land in Wellington on which to erect a hostel for Maoris visiting the city.. At present Maoris have often great difficulty in. finding accommodation, and there have been, it is stated, general cases in which Natives .'have been robbed. . One Native is said to have lost ,£34 in this manner. A Parliamentary Committeo was appointed yesterday to go carefully through the Native Land Bill and report to the association.