NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 74, 20 March 1908, Page 3

NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

Petition for Maori Control

The movement of the Maori people for the fuller recognition of their rights under the Treaty of Waitangi appears now to be more or less general. In addition to the petition to the King, which has been prepared by the king Maoris, and which will be discussed at Waharoa by His Excellency the Governor this week, the newlyformed Maori Association, which was inaugurated at Wanganui last month, has framed a petition to be presented to Parliament during the coming session. Translated, the text is as follows :

" To the Honorable Speaker and members of the House of Representatives in Parliament assembled, — Greetings, We, the Maori people of New Zealand, residing under the mana of our father. King Edward VII., are being oppressed by the laws which are from time to time passed by your honourable House regarding our lands, and our property is gradually being impoverished thereby. From the time of the Treaty of Waitangi down to the present day your Native people have resided together with tiie Europeans, and have intermingled with them. They have watched carefully, and have learned the crafts and the "agricultural and pastoral industries of the Pakeha. They have also had the advantage of education at the schools and colleges established for them. That period has now been reached when all the disabilities and the differences between the two races should be removed from your Maori people with regard to their lands and their property. Therefore we I now pray that the sole control and power to administer our surplus lands, shall be granted to us the same as is granted to the other subjects of His Majesty, the King." This document, which has been lying at the office of the secretary of the association (Mr C. R. Parata) has already over 100 signatures of Maoris representing all the trtbes from Ngapuhi to Ngaitahu. Invitations are being sent out for a conference oi delegates representing all branches of the association, which is to be held in Wellington during the first month oi fhe Parliamentary' session.