Great Native Claim.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 October 1922, Page 1

Great Native Claim.

.0354,000 FOlt SOUTH ISLAND MAORIS.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS’ DELAY. WELLINGTON, Oct. 11

The claim of South Island Alaorie against the Government in respect of land for settlement in Canterbury about 75 years ago was mentioned again in the House of Representatives to-day. The Government of thq day, bought the land at an exceedingly low price, and promised that certain provision would he made for the natives. The promise was not kept, and two years ago a Royal Commission, after investigating the claim, recommended that a sum of L‘354,000 should he paid to the .Maoris in settlement.

Air W. Uru (Southern .Maori) asked if the Government intended to take action in accordance with the recommendations of the commission. The Minister of Native Affairs (Hon .1. G. Coates) replied that lie was unable at present to indicate what action the Government would take. The matter was still under consideration and some important phases of it required to he determined.

Air Uru said the reply was very indefinite. He realised that the timex were hard and that the amount of money involved was large, hut the .Maoris were entitled to a settlement of their longstanding claim. It was the habit of his people to keep fighting until they got their rights. He would like the Government to do something. A vast area of land had been taken from the Maoris in the early days of European settlement at, from id to ltd per acre. A sum of {.‘2000 was paid in four instalments, and the .Maoris were promised that they would receive glso schools, hospitals and sufficient land to maintain themselves. They had got the schools and the hospitals, and were quite satisfied in that respect, hut they had not received the land which should belong to them and their children after them. .Mr G. Witty said the Alaoris had been waiting seventy-four years for what was due to them. The present Government had referred the claim to a Commission, which had made a definite recommendation, hut still nothing had been done. He would he sorry to sec the Maoris receive so large a sum of money in cash, hut he thought that at least the Government should pay interest to them. The Government should either pay on the basis of the report or make an arrangement that would he satisfactory to the natives.

Afr W. D. Lysnar suggested that the claim was barred by the Statute of Limitations.

Mr C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central) replied that the Government could not decently take advantage of the Statute of Limitations even if it applied. The Maoris were not pressing a legal claim : they were asking for justice.