NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 150, 26 April 1909, Page 2

NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

A Greymouth Protest.

The Native difficulty is not altogether confined to the North, although few of the Southern members of Pari iament are brought into contact with the question. At Greymouth last week, when the Timber Commission was sitting, advantage was taken of the presence of such a number of poli ticians to bring an important matter, dealing with local Native lands, before the members, among whom were Messrs Jennings, Duncan, Ell, Field, Hannan, Stallworthy, Mander, and Arnold, M's.P. Mr Coates, Mayor of Greymouth, spoke on behalf of the deputation against the system of Maori landlordism, and gave instances of the disabilities which the borough laboured under owing to the Natives contributing nothing towards improvements on their own land, and further demanding payment from the borough when improvements had been effected no Native land which had been a menace to the health of the people. Mr Guinness, M.P. for Greyirouth, also gave instances showing that Maoris paid no rates

Members of the Council and others also spoke., urging that attention to the question in somp way was imperative. Mr Jennings pointed out tl?e' position at Te Kuiti, and other town ;hips in the Taumarunui electorate, and said the genral feeling among both Europeans and Maoris was that attention should be directed tg the qqestion. filessrg El), Hannan, and Field agreed that the Natives should pay rates and that the short lease tenure was insufficient,

The Mayor said a largely signed petition was to be sent to Parliament and hoped that members who were now aware of the ti-ue state of matters would assist in framing remedial measures.