MAORIS ON THE LAND

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 47, 11 March 1937, Page 5

MAORIS ON THE LAND

-Press Assooiation.)

Need For Help fo Secure Income HON F. LANGSTONE'S POLICY

(By Telegraph-

GISBORNE, This Day. The need for inducing Maoris to farm their own land, and the vexed problem of rates payable on Native holdings, wero dealt with by the Hoif. F. Langstone, Minister of Lands, and acting-Minister of Native Affairs, when replyiug to a civic welcome accorded him last evening. "It is the duty and intention of the Government, declared Mr Langstone, "to make a big effort to rehabilitate the Native race into the positiOn of useful and successful farmers of their own land. We shall do everything possible to help them. Some people say Maoris won't work, won't pay their rates. That has been true up to a point, but circumstances have been against the Maoris. They have been in i the position of renters, people living upon rents or interest. When the dopression came and the rents ceased to eome in, the Maori was unable to face the position, because lio had not been , trained to accept the rosponsibilities of working Out his own salvation. He had been kept by others. No system of charity will do, in dealing with the Maori. We must teach him to stand on his own feet, "The duty and rosponsibility rests upon the Government," he continued, "to givo ali tho adviee and all the assistance possible, but even that is not enough unless we have the co-operatlon of the Maori himself. We must see that the Maori is in a position to favm his land and pay his rates. Then he must pay them, or face eteps to have them collected, If he still docs not pay, he must be prepared to get off the land. And that applies to a great oxtent to many of their pakeha neighbours," concluded Mr Langstone.