Greymouth Native Reserve Bill Blocked.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1922, Page 3

Greymouth Native Reserve Bill Blocked.

It is reported to-day on good authority that '‘The Greymoutli Native Reserves Bill” "ill not become law this Session. It seems probable that The lit lion Mr Massey on his nextvisit to Westland will meet the Arahura .Naiivi at their llaM in Arnhui'H.. when the Natives will take the opportunity ol laying before- Mr .Massey personally their views on the i| iiesjtion.

it is not unlikely that some very plain speaking "ill he indulged m .showing the view point ot the Arahura Natives, not only as to tin main principles of the Bin itself, hut also, anil particularly, a-- to the inclusion of Section 3 in the Bill which provided that a Native, lontrary to all previous Native , usboms. was to lie allowed under the Bill to make a disposition of his interests by will. I hi.-, would have been a riunpli.tc departure from all Native custom and the Natives aro most anxious to know by whose authority such a provision was instiled in the Bill in view of the definite instructions given to Ihe Native Trustee at the recent inciting of nalives in Kaiapoi. It. is said that the inclusion of this particular provision wits the cause of more ImTed iin i spondeni i .recently suit from here to Wellington, than the Bill itself. The Am burn Natives give credit to Hie promoters of the original Bill prepared in llreymouth for the lad that sueli an unfair provision did not appear in the first Bill drafted by them.