A MAORI'S IDEAS ON POLITICAL ECONOMY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1174, 17 November 1871, Page 2

A MAORI'S IDEAS ON POLITICAL ECONOMY.

Tn the House of Representatives, on the 20th October, the following speech was made by Parata, on the subject of the Public Revenues Bill:—" It is well known rhat this country is heavily in debt. Large sums of money have been borrowed from England, and Government have said that the Natives who sat here last session gave their consent to it. Another application is made for fr.ither borrowing, when it is not clear how the money borrowed previously, — and in the borrowing of which the Maoris are said to have concurred,—is to be paid. If the payment of that money can be made clear, i shall be able to support further borrowing. If the Government were to bring in money to encourage work and local industry, then 1 think it would be a very good thing. People may work hard—and the Natives work very hard—and get veiy little for it. There are a great many stores in New Zealand, but they do very little business. The people have no money on account of these transactions. If the laborer were better paid there would be no necessity for these loans. Let the borrowing cease; we have already had enough, Let there be no more borrowing, to cause trouble in the land. The Maoris have no money to pay their rates and the taxes necessary to pay the interest on the loans."