WEST COAST SETTLE MENT RESERVES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1827, 13 August 1913, Page 11

WEST COAST SETTLE MENT RESERVES.

A NATIVE CiRIHVANt-E. - (To the Editor.) Sir,—l am one of t'iit inuny owners in tho West U>ast (Xorlh Jdand; Sottleiueiit lveservcs. As, 1 d-im fay, very few ox your rewders tiavo had an opportunity or tho iiic-liiiat.ioii to raid the ivpoit ot in? CommiMsioneirs (l)r. Jl'Arlluir, S.M., of Wk'i'iiiigton, and Mr. Wm. Kerr, S.AI., of W.mgaimij. which was pK-s?iitid to J'arliameut lak jsea-ito/i", with tlie minutes ot' evidence takoa,.eomp'riiing 130 I wi-li to give you, u.s concisely as i jiosaib'.e, a statement of lh.:- facts Hacliered from the report and evidence rek ried to, in order that your readers may, to some extent, se-j for the nianner in which the Natives have been treated by the late Government. Tho full leport is comprised in Parliamentary Paper Gi, 1912, and may l» obtained irom the Government Printer. In many cases the lessxes liave kiised the land from the Public Trustee, and sublet the same land in some cat,xs to the Native owners themselves ot a much inoreuseil rent; In one case («ee pp. 31 to 53 of the evidence), the lessee pays the Public Trustee the sum of 2s. pel- acre, and has suUet at Jil'lis. per acre. The chairman (Dr. il'Arthur), in addressing the ley?ee, tays: "You are-getting a profit of J-'352 a year—the diffwcnce between the rent <jf &. aiul «C 1 lis. an acre" (see p. 53 of the evidence). Tho Rev. Robert Talniipoiiki Haddon states in his ovidence (p. 116) that lie sublividis back from the lessto (.Mr. ,llarry Lysaght) nt a rental of £1 per acre. Fcr this land Mr. Lysaght pays a rental to the Public Trustee of Is. Gd. 'per acre. The sanio witness in his evidence (p. 115) gives a graphic account of tha visit of 72 representatives of the Tarauaki Natives tx> Sir James Caa-roll in 180!). Re says: "We went as a body to tho Parliamentary Buildings. There we met' Sir James Carroll, Mj\ I'oynton, the Public Trustee, and, 1 think, .Mr. Fisher, Under-Secretary, and Mr. Massay, Leader of tho Opposition, were present. It was there that Kahu Pukoro greeted Sir Janus Carroll, and then said: '1 am here with my people to ask you to wipe away my tears—the tears that haxe been flowing since the war days and up till now.' Jle then called upon Dr. I'omaro to read a. statement from the deputation. After Dr. l'omare had read it, Mr. CawoH ros'3.. There was a map on tha wn,ll, and Mr. Carpal 1 pointed to it and said: 'Kahu, Piikoro, this is what 1 have got to wipe away your tears. Those spotted marks on the map represent the 18,000 acres of land under the 1881 Act. Those I will give into your hands, so you can go home with your tribe and be at peace in yo»jr mind. ' Call a meeting when you get back, and 1 will. come up and address you on your own courtyard. At this we got up and saluted him. Two or three days Jator we went home and called a meeting at Okaiawa, and over •£30!) was collected for that meeting. Mr. Carroll got up and greeted the people, and said: 'I am hero, and I am glad that you have got this meeting up for the purpose of calling me to greet you. Ivaliu Pukoro came to Wellington, and I promised to give him, the 18,000 acres, and I am here now to confirm that 'promise to the tribe.' Later the -same deputation went back to Wellington again—in lilOfl--10. This time it was at the opening of Parliament,, and we wanted to hear Mr. Carroll speak in tho Ilo'nse of Parliament about handing over' absolutely that 18,000 nc-res to the ilfaoris by the voice of Parliament, but he did not como oft."

, The witness, then relates (p. 11G) how a draft of a Bill was prepared dealing with the matter. The body of the.Nativc-.i met Mr. Carroll in tlio Parliamentary Buildings, a.nd the. Bill was read to him. Holding it in his hand, he said: "Now I inu right; you have given me a weapon fx>'fight with, and I will fight with this weapon in the House." Further on (p. 116) the witness says:— "We li'eld n ; conference 'to' sum up Mr. Carroll's promises, and we found he was a failure. He first promised to give us the 18,000 a errs; second, h? said he would snap the Public. Trustee between his finger and thumb; and, thirdly, he wrote to roll us that he was sending a Commission to make inquiry into these lands.". The Hon. Dr. Pomanci, in his ovidc-nce, commencing <at page-10T);ipivcs;an interesting history of the'• Tnrnnakii' lands and wars, etc., and leads right up to tlio present time. He tells of tlio very much improved condition of the' Natives, and of the splendid manner in vrhicli those Native® who have any laaid are carrying on dairying and supplying the butter factories. He also tells of the splendid and praiseworthy efforts of the Native Union 111 Taranaki to better the condition of The Maori people, and to fight for their rights and libortries. Deferring to the-Bill presented to Sir James Carroll, the following evidence is given on Page I!o:—uMr. Welsh, who appeared as solicitor for the lessees, (to witness): "You understood clearly from the Native Minister that he accepted that measure— your draft measure?"—He said "paira.watu," which means excellent, and tli© inference is that that it would bo adopted by him, as it was so excellent. "That was the impression ho gave ..•sou?"—"Tes." "And you went home satisfied?"— "Yes." "And your home satisfied?" —"Exactly." 'i'ho commissioners in their report give a succinct account of the legislation relating to the Taranaki lands (p. 4). They state (p. 5) that "the West Coast • Settlement'Kcserves Act, 1881, Amendment Act, 1883," extended the leases to thirty years and empowered the Governor to grant compensation for improvements. That no such power had formerly been authorised although included in tlio regulations of the lath February, 1883. Surely such a regulation was ultra vires." The commissioners then refer (p. 5) to tlio reduction of rent made under the authority of an Order-in-Council in 1887. They then refer (pages 5 and 6) to the three chances given to the lessees to extend their leases ' and better their tenure and condition under tlio Acts of 1892, 1895, and 1898. The report states (p. 0): "In the whole of this legislation two facts starnl prominently out. The first is that, every leeislative measure has been in favour of the lessees; and the second, that on no occasion has the Native owner bean consulted in reference to any. fresh legislation." The report clearly indicates that the interests of the Notivea have not been re--garded or conserved as they should have been. The commissioners btate that they aro of opinion (p. 9) "That all the lands should remain under the present tenure: and this furnishes another reason, if such were needed, for refusing to give (as requested by the lessees) 'another opportunity for convetsion.'" One page 9 the Commissioners state" that, as the law- at present stands "it is, of' courso, hopeless to expect that, the Native can obtain any' advance from private persons tfr lending companies." On the same paj'e they quote the law on the subject. Jfr. W. H. D. Bell, who appeared as solicitor for the Natives, give's a very clear exposition of the facts of the case in his address, commencing on pace 65. The evidence given by the Natives shows that those who are' farming their lands have lmd to borrow money simply on personal security, and in every case the loans have been fully repaid by the h'.tmthly cheques received from the butter factories. Tilis shows that the Maoris are capable of successfully managing their own affairs, notwithstanding the great difficulties and disadvantages under which they labour. A schedule is added .to the report showing the number "of Natives supplying the various butter factories in the Taranaki district, and Wire return? received. • 111 many cases the average excirds £1 per month per cow. One Native in his evidence says:—"l brought my land into cultivation. I was farming it successfully, when one day it was taken from me and leased lo si pakeha." Asked who it was leased to, ho said "Solwny." "And what ore you doing now?" "I am working for Solway." In this ease his house and lands were taken nwav from him. The report shows that the settlers have ibeen taking-tlnx, timber, and fungus oil' Ithe land' in addition to farming it. The settlers tiro still clamouring for further 'Advantages. Like the fat boy in "Pick; 1 wick," tlie.v are still asking for "more." jl could write to au unlimited extent on this matter if space permitted. | My Maori people feel that they are ; carrying a burden placed on them by previous Governments. . They feel confident I that the present Government will give tiieni the relief they have so long sought ,111 vaiu. All previous Governments Iwve 'favoured the pakoha and ignored the 'Maori and his right?. 1 must apologia i for taking up so much of voui' space, out have condensed my remarks as much a.s possible.—l am, etc.. A VOICE FROM THE TARAXAKI MAORI UNION'. ' August) 1913.