THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1908. NATIVE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 92, 24 July 1908, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1908. NATIVE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES.

THLvInE is little doubt that the uplifting of the Maori has begun in earnest, and when the history ol i the next few years conies to be 1 written a measure of progress i wilt be recorded far in advance j of anything previously thought j of. Widespread interest is being , directed towards the question of ways and means of bringing the rank and file of the Native race into line with the Pakeha—industrially and socially, and we have the gratifying experience of seeing the leading men of both races combining to bring about the desired end. • It cannot be denied that the system pursued for years past of placing heavy restrictions on Maoris with regard to their lands also acted as a restriction to the progress of the race. Moreover, the fact of them being under such restraint was an admirable excuse for the Pakeha legislators deferring definate action with regard to the Maori and his'lands. Under such conditions if nothing was done for the enlightenment of the Maori, he was at least protected as far as his land was concerned. It must be admitted, however, that left without an objective; his old customs and occupations rendered useless ; surrounded by a dominant race with organised and insistent activities, and all his channels for industrial and social progress circumscribed to the last degree, the Maori had little opportunity for working up to a standard consistent with that of his Pakeha neighbour. The wonder is, not that tire rank and file of the race have made little progress, as the term is understood by the Pakeha, but that they deteriorated beyond redemption. For with the Maori, as with the Pakeha, it is not the brilliant and exceptional few who have to be considered, but the average mass of the people.to whom the perpetuation of the race is assigned. The spirit of progress in the Maori mass has not been hastened by restriction; but, now, with the prospeefcof radical,changes and the settlement of Native lands, is being preached the doctrine of work and individual responsibility. The spirit in which the doctrine is received is evidenced by the fact that the Maoris, among other things, are setting aside reserves and applying to have colleges established for the purpose of instructing their young men in methods of agriculture. The movement inaugurated at Rotorua is already bearing fruit, and in another column of this issue is a letter outlining a suggestion in the same direction. Appropriately enough the suggestion is over the signature of a member of a family which has always been in the van of progress in this district, and the idea set forth is worthy of deep and careful consideration by the progressive spirits of both races. A great moral obligation assuredly rests upon the Pakeha population of New Zealand as regards the Maori. Successive Governmentshave recognised the fact, and the placing of restrictions upon the lands to conserve them to the Maori was the crude method <>! fulfilling the obligation until time could be obtained to devise (it and proper means ol dealing with the situation. Unfortunately for the race, and unfortunately for the country, action was deierred by a Southern Administration until (he demand o\' the North could no longer be unheeded, and the obligation still cries aloud for I'ullillment. 'l'he idea of Maori Agricultural Colleges is not new. any more than European Agricultural Colleges, and little reason can be advanced against the suggestion. With Native-owned lands aggregating several millions of acres, and a Native population o\ i"ort\ thousand there is every reason why the Maoris should be provided with instruction in modern iarming methods, and encouraged in everv way to work their lands on the most approved and payable lines. The principle of State Agricultural Colleges has been affirmed.. Why not a similar institution for Maoris, who are only I too anxious to provide the land, I and doubtless also willing to support such an institution to a reasonable extent. We have lie fore advocated a system of State Agricultural Outposts in the various districts for the benefit of the settlers, and the same system could profitably be extended to the Maoris. The country has everything to gain by the bringing of the hmd to the highest i possible producing point, be the j farmer Maori or European, and; i with such a channel for the inj dustrial activities o\ our Maori j brethren there is little doubt thai, ; I with reasonable and legitimate ; ! encouragement, the rank and (i!e ! I of the race would readily respond and rapidly assume a position in all respects on a fooling vviih their Pakeha neighbours --■ a posi- j tion already occupied by many of the race despite the draw- : j backs and restrictions, which I have proved a stumbling block j to the uplifting of the mass. As j

regards the local application of the idea, there is, as is wellknown, a comparatively large .Maori population, and sufficient Native-owned land to warrant support fee- the pr; mosa 1. It is to be hoped the suggestion will meet with the consideration it undoubtedly :ni it :■. 1 >pp* >! iunity lies at the door ol the j 'H>'.''rcssivc Maoris, and bugv to their race, and to their country, will doubtless inspire ibeui to ;\c\ ion in a matter of such great importance. While on ihe subject we would point out thai this ones--tion, like others oi eoesd importance to the Native race, has great political significance, and the successof any progressive movcment depends largely upon tb.e Parliamentary representative of the people. In Pepene Hk clone the Maoris of this district have a candidate for Parliament who, if elected, would carry with him the respect of all classes, both Maori and European, and whose influence and personality would do much to further the cause of Maori progress. The futility of Maori representation in Parliament has been frequently referred to in the past. Such a charge would not be made were men of Pepene Eketone's stamp chosen by the Maoris, and with the dawn of an era of progress for the race, the counsel and influence of such as he would be of incalculable benefit to those who were fortunate enough to have their welfare safeguarded by one who has worked loyally and strenuously in the best and truest interests of his race. Moreover the Parliamentof the country would gain a member whose advice and experience would always be useful in formulating and considering measures incidental to the inauguration of a policy of progressive Maori legislation already forcasted by the Legislature, upon the insistent demand of the most enlightened of the Maori people, in which company Pepene Eketone can be voted a foremost position.

TE KUITI POST OFFICE. IT is customary throughout most parts of the Dominion to refer to the administration of the Postal Department in eulogistic terms, and we frequently hear of what has been done by the authorities to give the people the best and cheapest service possible. What has not been done will probably be interesting reading, and the fact that anything has been left undone by such an active and well - administered Department will be news to a number of people. Te Kuiti residents, however, are unfortunately in a position which forces them to decline in voicing the universal eulogy of the Postal Department, and can point to a succession of blunders, and what appears to be a studied ignoring of their legitimate claims. As a mailer of fact there never has been a oost office at Te Kuiti, the old railwav station having been used by the Department as "temporary premises" for many years. With the appointment of a station master new " temporary premises" had to be obtained*

and the edifice decided upon was purl ion of an outbuilding attached to Mr Sims' boarding 'house. Dow eminently unsatisfactory the new post office has proved can be gleaned from the opinions freely expressed by all who have to do business at the office, and Tc Kuiti post office lias become a bye-word and a joke with travellers. In proof of the nature of the Department's activity am! ;il c aid lily of its administration it may he mentioned thai for-several wars subsequent is; the iormaii'm the township a section <>f -roimd in the main street \v;i> a.i the disposal of the !Vparime;il, and could have been as a pes! office site free of charge. \\ hen the demand for township sections became keen the Department officials, upon being asked if (hey wished to ulaiise the section, replied in the negative. What inspiration of genius olvsscd them at the moment 's impossible (o imagine. Possib!v a desire !o be consistent in their bundling was responsible, but unfortunately 1 he local public are the chief sii'Vi r< Subsequently nogoia'iiop.s were entered into by the authorities to acquire tiie site in question, and it was generally i bought that icasonable terms had been arranged, but the same conspicuous ability in administration, ov consistency in (hung the wrong' thing, was displayed, and at present nobody seems to know jura what has happened. The t",'ic di In mil a.ml indisputably fact which ;\ mains as uugmwicnia 1 pi-oof of i tepartmentai ability, is i hat be Kuiti is stii! without a post oi'tice. and the glorious uncertainty as. to w iiether there is ever going io be an office establish., d b. sso)'i : .'em to unduly exhilarai e \ hose who are chiell v ab'ecte.l, That t he Imvuspeople's els im foi' a sac building is just iiied may be :-eeu from the volume <>;' Pasbs s i ra nsacled in the " temporal v premises,." and the increase oi' luisiuess for the year ending March ylst. IQOS, compeared with die previous year, should surclv iiiiiuvss even less able administrators than the present Departmental oiiicials. From April Ist, 1907, to March 31st, 1908, 1,031 money orders were

issued representing as against 704 orders representing over £2,838 for 1906-7. During the same periods the orders A paid at the office numbered 337»p| representing over £3,723 in 1907-8 as against 199 representing over £2,048 in 1906-7. The Savings Hank deposit for 1907-8 amounted to £8,985 18s. and withdrawals to £5,814 17s 6d as against deposits amounting ito £3,671 9s rod and withdrawals of £1,418 15s 7d in 1906-7. Some idea of the 1 mail business got through at the oftice may be obtained from the fact that 19 daily mails are ma.de .<up, and 11 mails for outback districts arc distributed once a w6ek. These figures speak for themselves as to the urgent necessity of a decent post office, arid it is high time the legitimate requirements of the public in this;'.respect " were attended to. Te Kuitians appreciate the distmctian of having the Department capably administrated but the price they are paying is too high. A little less capability and mpre of a post office would meet fth* situation admirably.

NATIVE TOWNSHIP J GROWTH. THE timeworn statement tltajf the British nation is composedliijiinly of fools is evidently held as a sound doctrine by some 6T the leading politicans of the Dominion judging by some of the attempts at justifying Ministerial action. The ingenious remark by- the Premier duringi his recent visit to the King Country when referring to the condition of Native townships, "that it was never anticipated the townships would grow to such an extent," was evidently meant to explain, or excuse, the many sins of omission and commission which had been made in framing the conditions under which the Native townshids had been set up. Incidentally it would be interesting to get'the Premier's explanation as to why the Government refused to purchase the township of Te Kuiti when it could have been secured by them for less thatuten pounds an acre a few years ago. The explanation is about oh a par with the " did'nt know it w,as loaded " excuse, and was received indulgently at the time, as the context of the Premier's utterance carried the promise of, immediate remedial legislation. However, when we hear of the President of the 'Maniapoto-Tu-wharetoa Maori Land Board making glib use of the ridiculous explanation to a Taumarunui deputation it is time to enter a protest. By whom was it never anticipated the townships would grow sufficiently to make it worth while to provide reasonable and equitable conditions for. those who had to reside in the places referred to ? If by the members of the Government assuredly the assumption of those gentlemen was only equalled by their ignorance of the district. In the case of Te Kuiti and Otorohanga there were scores of common sense people who, by reason of local knowledge, held an entirely opposite opinion. As a matter of fact it is reasonable to assume the Government as a body knew little of the matter; perhaps cared less. South Island politicians have dominated xhe Cabinet for many years, and the Native land question has been shunned as a plague by even Northern Members, who were foolishly blind to the interests of their own part of the Dominion. The position is now becomming better understood, and we credit Sir Joseph Ward with the desire and intention of putting matters on the most equitable basis possible. The makinjg of such a futile explanation was a remarkable instance of mental atrophy on the part of an extremely alert man, who possibly was living up to the belief that " any excuse was better than none." However, it is , not desirable that the weak and** expedient utterances of even the Premier should be repeated as gospel by an official prominently concerned with the administration of the said townships.