THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. THURSDAY, DEC. 16, 1909 NATIVE LAND BILL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 217, 16 December 1909, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. THURSDAY, DEC. 16, 1909 NATIVE LAND BILL.

THE Native Land Bill, contrary to expectations, seerai to bave an excel- ' lent chance of becoming law this Session and credit is due to those concerned for the expedioas manner in which the Bill has been handled. In a comprehensive measure such as the present Bill there are naturally many debat- , able points but in the main the chief ; features as outlined by the Premier in a the Budget bave been adhered ot. As was to be expected the machinery for } dealing with Native lands will, accord- j ing to the Bill, still be of a somewhat 1 complicated nature, and delays are 1 bound to occur in a manner fhat is r foreign to dealings in Pakeha lands. ( f It must be recognised however that a ! j decided advance has been naade in an t important feature of our .wia! and ! political life, ami '!.< -il iiily admitting our Maori fri< a rare, t to both intclJlctwl and ; oiMnerciai :

equality is brought appreciably closer. The principle of freedom of contract on the part of the Native l?nd owners is practically affirmed and though our Southern friends may not be aware of the fact, the average Maori land owner is just as capable of making a good bargain as is the average European owner. The machinery clauses of the Bill are in advance of the old methods and tend towards simplifying proceedure generally. Everything considered it is to be hoped the Bill will go on to the Statute Book this session. The old methods have long been found insufficient and the new cannot fail to be something of an improvement.