THE PREMIER AND NATIVE LANDS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 9, 21 December 1906, Page 3

THE PREMIER AND NATIVE LANDS.

TO THE EDITOR

Sir, —I have read the article on the above subject in your issue of the 14th, which gives one a good idea of the Premier's plans. But why a Commission ? And why put the Native Minister on that Commission ? And why not let the Native owners deal with their lands (under certain restrictions), as they please ? The one fatal objection is putting the Native Minister on the Commission. Everyone knows what " Timi Taihoa " is, and what progress would be made if he were a member of the Commission. Take the Act of last year, which provides that the Native Minister shall — not " may " —cause a list to be prepared shewing all the lands, or interests in lands, owned*by each Maori. Has he done this, or anything in connection with it ? Do not those who have dealings with Native lands, have to look up all this themselves, and pay for it too ? We may safely depend upon one thing, that if the Native Minister has anything to do with the settling of the Native lands, it will be blocked in the future, as it has been in the past.. The settlement of the Native lands would be carried out on terms satisfactory to the Maori, and to the European, if the former were allowed to deal with their land, subject to the approval of the Maori Land Boards, that is to say, if the Boards were not bound by rules and suggestions from the Native Office, as they are at present. We may be perfectly certain that the Native is a sufficiently keen man of business to know what _ he is doing, as any of your readers, in this King Country, will certify. He knows the value of his land, and is quite competent enough to obtain that value, but, as we well know, he is treated as a child by his so-called friend, the Native Minister. Let us hope that the Premier's plans will be carried out, except that Commission. The present Maori Land Boards have shewn themselves fully capable of safeguardihg the interests of both Maori and European.—l am, etc., KING COUNT-RY RESIDENT.