BREAKING UP COMMUNAL SYSTEM.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 57, 4 September 1926, Page 12

BREAKING UP COMMUNAL SYSTEM.

If one of the tests of the success of Native land administration is the breaking up of the communal system of landholding, then the Coates regime must be credited with achievement. The subdivision of Native blocks into family holdings on which farm loans can be negotiated has resulted in the movement of the Maori population from the pas, where the germs of many a deadly disease have fouled the long-occupied ground, to the sections now. made available. The beneficial results to their health, as well as to their economic condition, must be considerable. The legislation from 1921 to the present session contains important extensions of the provisions of the 1909 Act relating to consolidation of interests. At the same time stops have been taken in the Native Trustee Acts as well as in the Native Land Amending Acts to extend the scope of assistance to Maori farmers. In administration attempts have been made to speed up tho procedure, and, although the system has many imperfections, great improvements have taken place. Further improvements will result from the proposals contained in the new Native Bill just introduced. The Minister has not overlooked the necessity for supervising the Maori farming- movement, which has received such an impetus under his own administration. Practical steps towards an effective system have been tentatively taken,.but it must be developed gradually according to circumstances. No Minister before him has recognised to the same extent the duty of the State, not only to provide finance to assist the Maoris to use their lands, but also to. exercise some control over the expenditure of loan moneys to secure the best results. Further examples of piece-meal solutions of Native problems are tho Arawa Lakes Settlement, the Ngaitahu (South Island) Claim investigation, tho provisions relating to Motatau block, Aorangi, Patutahi, Puketitiri, and other matters. The Taupo Waters Agreement, which Parliament is now asked to confirm, is the most recent instance. Outstanding features of these arrangements are the practical manifestation of the genuine desire of the Government to remedy old grievances, a dotermination to compensate tho just claims of Maori 'tribes, and the imposing of a condition that tho claims of education, health, and tho renor,"1 "•M----fare of the tribe concerned shon!d be recognised.