NATIVE LAND LAWS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 186, 30 August 1909, Page 2

NATIVE LAND LAWS.

The following extract from Preece's Land Register will interest those who believe that Bishop Selwyn was a mere sentimentalist as regards the Maori Land Question.: —"Our Native land laws have been tinkered with for years, and today we seem no further ahead than we were over 23 years ago, when the late Hon. John Ballance brought us his Native Land Admianistration Act, which proved to be a failure and was repealed after a year or two without a single acre of land being acquired under its provisions. Since 1894 there has been almost a stoppage in dealing with Native land by private individuals, and the Government have only been buying by periodical fits and starts —and now there is practically no dealing by Government —and the law prevents Natives from dealing with Europeans direct.

As far back as 1855 the late Bishop Selwyn who was one of the greatest authorities on Native matters, said as follows:—'I desire to see each Native landowner secured by a Crown grant for his own individual property, and registered as a voter, on the same qualifications as an Englishman. When the Native landowners are thus registered and represented, with full recognition of equal rights and privileges, I will not bs backward in explaining to them that they are liable to all taxes, penalties, and other public burdens, in common with all other classes of Her Majesty's subjects.' These words were spoken by Bishop Selwyn 53 years ago. If they were applicable then how much more should they be now? We have always contended that the Natives should be placed on the same footing as Europeans with regard to their lands, care being taken to prevent them pauperis ing themselves, and also that the present special Native representation in Parliament should be abolished, and the Natives should be given the same electoral rights as Europeans. The Maori Representatioo Act was a good measur; at the time it was brought in by Mr McLean, in 1867. At that time the country was in an unsettled state and the Natives were uncivilised, whereas now we have educated Natives in Parliament who would be a credit to any constituency. The present Native Minister was first returned as a Nativf member and has now been representing a European constituency for many years. If the Natives were given the same electoral rights as Europeans they would be better represented, than they are at present, as every member for a J North Island constituency would take an interest in having the Native Land Laws put on a sound and workable basis, whereas now most of them leave Native matters severely alone. What we require is that the Native lands should be brought under European title with expedition, and that the owners be allowed to deal with their property in the same manner as Europeans, except as to lands which should be restricted for their own use. The Government should have a pre-emptive right to buy any Native land required for settlement at valuations. If the Crown did not purchase within a lim- I ited time after the title was ascertained then the owners should have ■ the right to dispose of i r :n lit'.- > rdinary manner. There ar- at piv.-' :.t millions of ar'res of Native :ami ■ in prompt and businesslike manner to the j satisfaction of both races, and that j the 'Taihoa' may be abandoned." |