"GOSPEL OF IDLENESS."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 913, 5 September 1910, Page 11

"GOSPEL OF IDLENESS."

IT WILL NOT SAVE THE MAORI.

PLAIN TALK BY'MR. MASSEY. Some strong remarks in regard to tho way in which the Natives have been kept back by Liberal legislation and administration -wore made by Mr. Massey, Leader of tho Opposition, in the House of 'Representatives' on Friday night, when the Native Townships Bill was under discussion. Mr.'Massey said that for some time there had been in circulation among the Natives a petition for presentation to the Home Government. It now bore over' 30,000 , signatures. This . petition, was a protest against the existing Native laws, and requested that tho Native should be given a higher positionin short, that he shpuld-be allowed to work out his own salvation.. That and other things pointed to a feeling of unrest and dissatisfaction on the part of the Maori people. I 'When Mr. Carroll was a private member he was a better friend to the Native people than he was as a Minister of. the Crown. ' Ho' believed that Mr'. Carroll was then inclined to put the welfare, of'-his people first and his party second; from what he had seen during the past few years it was now the' otner'way about. He would like to ask him to look back on what had taken place since he joined ■ the Cabinet,'and he would like to ask nim to say whether thoy had been uplifted in. .the way that they should have advanced. He ventured to. say that in his heart of hearts' Mr. 'Carroll must answer that they had not advanced as should have been the case. Mr. Carroll must know that the Native race was decreasing,, and if the, present state of things continued it would be as extinct as the moa' in 50 years., ' . : ' ; Mr. 'Carroll: You have said that hufore. '■'•.■■;' .V, ..' ■. .' ; ■ .'_'.'■

-Mr. Massey: Yes, and you have "said "Give them time." That has been your policy. You know Lam right, arid you agree with me. • .... ■ Continuing his. remarks, ; Mr.. Massey, quoted from a minority, report' of a commission of 1891 in which Mr- Carroll, had committed himself to the opinion that' the . resumption by tho Crown" of 'the pre-emptive right restricting the Native to but one. market for tho disposal of land would retard progress. Hew did that.tally- with-; the Bill? Again, Mr.', .Carroll had said in that report that tho Natives should have,the power to control their own affairs. "1 am' anxious to save the" Native race,"' said Mr. Massey,'"and in saying that I am thinking of tho men I knew when I was a. boy. Man for man, they were better men twenty-five years ago 'than they.are now." '"".';. .Dr. Te Rangihiroa: That may he said of the whites:...-,'. ' , ■'V Mr. Massoy: If the Maoris are to 1 Ira saved it will not be by the gospel of idleness which has been preached to them hi recent years, but by giving them, responsibilities that properly belong to them, arid letting them stand side'by side with the pakeha. .Speaking later,:' Mr. Kaihau, M.l\ for the Western. Maori district, coinplained bitterly of the fact; that tho Government had not allowed the Natives to have the , administration. arid control of their own lands. Ho'liad come to the conclusion that tlio Taupo chief.who was taking round the petition to. which Mr. Massey had alluded was right.' Tire Hon. A. T.Ngata pointed! out that. the Taupo,chief in question wanted to have the Treaty of Waitangi upset. An regards tho large number'of; signatures on his petition ; that was. easily- explained. There were, as ■ a matter of. fact, not • 30,000 Natives who: could write., Then, again; the petition had not. been taken into several important districts in the North Island, whilst it had not been taken to the South Island at all. The fact was that tho signatures had been accumulating. Mi. Massey: And you'say that-the Maori is not able to take care of himsolf?.' ■■'.•■ -. "'-i'.''. >'■."■ .-' Mr. Ngata: They. ; are not to taking a'few lessons i from 'tho Europeans. ';- ' ; .■ ' . '■-■,< : In conclusion, Mr. Ngata said that' there was a danger in.;;hustler- .Mr. Massey .would, find that .if he got into power.' '' ;■■ Dr. Te ' Rangihiroa, speaking in / a humorous vein, declared that thero had been plenty of taihoa in connection with the development of the European people—3ooo years at least —(Laughter) —whilst the Maoris had had; on|y sixty years or so within'which to bring thernselves lip to date. • .-' , ■;- The,, Hon. J. Carroll said that the deterioration in the Maori could be: traced in most cases from the day- he came in contact with tho European. When the European pioneers came here contact with'the dignified Maori rangatira - improved him.. : Every aspersion; was cast on the Maori to-day, especially when he stands in .the way of-the European acquiring' the < land.' He was. sorry'td seethis, and he did not think it: should' be. .Referring' to the. petition mentioned''by Mr.; Massey, the Native Minister said the Native' petitioners would never be satisfied until they got "home rule," and if they could riot get' it they would place the petition at 'the. foot ,ofj-the Throne. One could not argue or reason with those responsible ■ for that, movement. It .was,a special creed, and no legishv tiOn that could -be .passed would satisfy them except separate rule, separate authority,; and' separate government. It was for the Parliament of the country to say .if this could -,be conceded, and if conceded, it • could- be carried into' effect.: He would have no objection to granting,a certain amount of: power to the Natives themselves, but, their idea was < that : :':;nothing,: '-could- be done, without separate. ,'.'government and separate control. This was not practicable, but anything that could be done to meet them on practical lines would be done. ~