NATIVE LAND LAWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1924, 5 December 1913, Page 4

NATIVE LAND LAWS.

BILL IN COMMITTEE,

MAORI CRITICS. At 10.20 p.m. the House went into Committee upon tlio Rating Amendment Bill and the Native Land Laws Amendment, Bill. The latter measure was considered first. Mr. Ngata moved as an amendment that tliQ Bill should not come into operation until March 1, 1914. This meant, bo said, a postponement for about two months, so far as most of the clauses in the Bill were concerned. The Minister himself proposed that some of the clauses in the Bill should not conic into operation until March 31. Tlio Hon. W. H. Merries declined to accept the amendment, and it was negatived on a division by 34 votes to 22. The short title was passed on the voices without further discussion. Representation on the Board. Mr. Ngata next moved (on Clause 21) that there should be a representative- of the Maori landowners on cacli board dealing with Native lands. Dr. Rangihiroa supported the amendment. Sir James Carroll asked the Minister to sa.y definitely whether ho was going to exclude Maoris from any possible voice in the administration of their own la.nd. Would the Minister say that it was right to do this? Ho dared not say it. The Minister said that ho could not accept the amendment because it would mean recasting the whole Bill. The idea of the new clause was practically that the Judge should bo the board. Under the. Bill the board was merged into the Native Land Court. In the Native Land Court there was no need, as a rule, to appoint an assessor, but the Judge bod power to appoint a Maori assessor if he liked. At present tlio Native representative upon a .Maori Laud Board did not in any sense represent the owners. Mr. G. V. I'carce supported the Minister's attitude. Everybody who knew anything of Uio working'of the Native Land Act in the North Island had condemned the Maori Land Boards. The tenants of Native lands had complained of the actions of the boards in administering the land, and even the Natives themselves bad complained. The Hon. IVlSiuldo and Mr. 0. \Y. Russell spoke against the proposal to remove Native members from the, Ma«ri Land Hoards. Mr. C. I'arata said a board tool; a keener interest in the affairs of the Natives than any oflici.il could possibly take. If a vote were taken on the question, the Natives would declare bv a large majority for the retention of the boards. The amendment was defeated by 33 votes to 20, and clause 22 was retained on the voices. The clauses down to '19 were passed unchallenged, and program was' more rapid for a few minutes. Mr. Ngata called a division on Clause Of empowering the .Maori Land Board to sell or lease part of a block, not less than half, if the owners of that interest desire that, this should be done. The clause was retained by ill.,voles to 17. Mr. C W. Forbes moved an amendment to Clause tIG to reduce the maximum area of laud to bo acquired bv anv one person from -JOliO to'3ooo acres. Tli" maximum area for European land is fIOUO acres, and the Bill raised the maximum for Maori land from 3000 i<> 5000. Mr. Forbes therefore moved to retain the

maximum permitted by the. present law. The ainc.'idiiieiil/ was defeated by 31 votes to 17. Delegation of Authority. Execution, was next taken by the Native representatives to Clause SB, providing that a Maori Land Board might delegate to the Crown Land Hoard of a disirbt the tusk of cutting up of blocks of hind to be opened for settlenont. Mr. Ngata moved as an amendment that the delegation of authority should only be made with the consent of the assembled owners. The amendment was negatived on tho voices. The clauses from SS to 103 were passed without discussion. Sale of Trust Lands. Clause 10i was discussed at length. Mr. Ng'nta- protested against the proposal of the Crown to take power to acquire Native lands vested in tho Publit: Trustee. In his opinion, he said, tho Natives should bo prohibited from disposing of these lands to the Crown as they were already debarred from selling them to private individuals. He hoped that the Nativo beneficiaries would realise that as their lands were leased, tho present actuarial yalno was small, and that this consideration would deter them from selling. Sir J as. Carrol), declared that the wholo aim of the Government was to give the lessees of the Native trust 'lands tho freehold. Smiling broadly ho called tho Government "criminal" and many worse names. Dr. Jlangiliiroa protested against tho power that the Government was taking to aequiro Native- land. Mr. Ngata moved Uv exclude Nativo trust lands from the operation of tho clause. Tho amendment was defeated ou the voices. Mr. Ngata then moved lo delete a sub-clause empowering Native owners to sell, or trustees to sell in their behalf. This also was negatived. A proposal was advanced by Mr. 0. Parata. to exclude tho Greymouth Native reserve from the classification of lands that may be purchased by the Crown, i The Minister said that ho could not go further in the way of exemptions. Ho had already exempted a largo area of land. Tlio Nativo Affairs Committee had passed a resolution recommending him to purchase the township of Grey from the Natives if possible. However, the Natives wore free as air, and no compulsion would ho brought to hear ispon them to make them sell. Clause 104 was retained on a division bv 32 votes to 14. (Left sitting.)