A BAR TO PROGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1300, 1 December 1911, Page 6

A BAR TO PROGRESS.

There arc not many people who possess an intimate knowledge of Native affairs and Native .land settlement. The subject until recently has not attracted the attention its importance deserved, and in consequence the Government have been able, under tho guidance of _ the astute mind of the Native Minister, to delude the public almost as they pleased. Latterly, however, the importance of the question has come to bo more widely recognised, and by no one more than the settlers who live in the vicinity of large blocks of idle Native lands. These people who arc usually doing the pioneering work in tho back-blocks find themselves taxed and rated and over-loaded with n burden that would be greatly reduced were the Natives working their land and paying their' share of the cost of opening up the country, or in the alternative, were they given facilities to dispose of their lands to European settlers who would make them productive. Along the Main Trunk railway there are large areas of idle Native lands which do not pay their share of. the rates and taxes which the European landowners have to bear; and yet the Native owners receive the benefits of the labour and enterprise of tlieir white neighbours. These areas of idle Native lands in different parts of the country are in many cases a bar to progress—a hindrance to the development of the. locality in which they are situated, and a source of discouragement to those who hove made their homes or opened up business ventures in the vicinity. _ For twenty years the Continuous Ministry have had a hco hand to settle the Native land question— for twenty years they have tinkered with the subject, profuse of promises, but meagre of performance. It is really wonderful how the Government have managed to stave, off the demand for an active Native land settlement policy for so long. Their success in this respect has been mainly due to the class of representative tho districts most affected have returned to Parliament. These have been in the main Government supporters and it is too well known to need any emphasis now that the Ministry "in the end docs just as it pleases in the. matter of policy, whether its supporters like it or not. The Government following may make election promises and may even talk threateningly in Parliament itself, but when the party whip cracks they come into heel meekly or growling as the case may be and vote as they are bid. This is nothing more than the plain truth as every follower of politics knows. Now and then a Government member makes a little spurt of independence, but it is the rare, exception, and almost invariablv he in the end obeys his party orders. What hope of any roform in the Government's methods is there in such circumstances so long as the constituencies return Government candidates 1 Absolutely none at all. If a vigorous dealing with the Native land, question is wanted the only chance of securing it is to return candidates pledged to vote against the Government. Wo referred earlier in this article to the idle Native lands along the Main Trunk line. Tho electorates of Waimarino and Taumarunuiboth at the present time return Government supporters—men who follow obediently the party lead. What chance have the settlers of these districts of securing that rapid open-ing-up and occupation of Native lands which is so urgently needed if their towns are to develop 3s all would wish, so long as they send to Parliament men pledged to support a Government which has dallied with tho question for so long ' On the other hand, the Reform party is pledged to a determined "and sustained effort to settle tho Native "land question, and its platform specifies the means by which it would set about the task. A new Government would mean the handing over of the administration of Native lands to a new and vigorous body of men anxious to demonstrate ' tho truth of their contention that the rapid settlement of these large areas of waste country would mean progress and prosperity for the settlers in the vicinity and for the whole Dominion. The clcclors of Waitunrino and Taumarunui are fortunate in having the opportunity on the present occasion to ca:t their votes for candidates who can be trusted^

if elected, to play an active part in pruning this matter under the notice of Parliament. Messrs. HorjKLY and Wir.sox, the ltcforra candidates, both have a thorough grasp of the subject and would he certain to carry weight with the House as men of ability and sound judgment. Mr;. Hocki.v is perhaps the better known of the two, he having contested an election on a previous occasion, but both these candidates have met with so large a measure of support in their campaigning that tlieir prospects of success seem" very hopeful indeed. Those electors, however, who wish to see in operation that active and progressive policy which would mean so much to the towns and country side along the Main Trunk railwaj should not neglect any opportunity to ensure the return of the Reforu candidates. There should be 1.0 slackening of effort until (ho numbers are announced on polling day.