Karmen Conference.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 364, 5 June 1908, Page 2

Karmen Conference.

[OOMITUNIOATED. ] Oparaa pnt the most useful remit before Farmers Parliament in Aookland, viz., “That all natives beallownd the advantages of white laws, and that ell native land be individualised.” The Oparau delegate met Mr Hone Hate in Auckland, who takes a deep interest in welfare of the natives, and who says the natives, after they get theic land want leaders to lead them to work the land. By this means eventually the native race, having our laws in full and being in fact under the same obligations to the state as we are, win become absorbed into the white population. The word * native’, and their partieularly rottan land laws, made either by ignoramuses or by those intent ou the extermination of oar noble race of aboriginals, mast oease. This remit was spoken of favourably by all wbn know the North, and as all at the Auckland Provincial Conferenoe knew and felt the disadvantage under wteflh natives and whites are placed owing to those foolish laws, it passed nnurimously. A remit re extraordinary damage done by bash fires and that the Government should be oensured, found no one to even second, aud although a discussion ensued, tbe delegate withdrew it. There was a fesling in tbe muting that Govenunaat was probably being imposed upon and that farmers, who are tbe most boa-, eet and independent class ol produoerein the Dominion, should batMs out for themselves. A remit re roads from Oparau was put into a genarel oomplaint from every out bank braaoh in tbe Auckland Province and from what I beard it appears to me that the North Island, although settled before tbe South, has not had its share d dollars, because Taihoa has so been the motto of tbe natives that tba Northern representatives have beC2 S« so imbued with the Maori foebng ant the smarter aud more pashiag mem* bars from the Booth Island get nraat of tbe money. We want Southerners, to represent ua—men who can go te Wellington, meet their Southern reiathus in the Hoase and get that jasttoe for the North which its native-born parliamentary representatives hayg failed to secure. The Auckland Farmers Parliament voted as one man foe combination of interests at eleotion* There is now & tendency among other Unions, such as the Employers Union, Ship Owners Union, etc., te affiliate with the Farmers Union, so that these Unions conjointly can stop all food suppl:e«, the whole system ol unionism is as yoa were before a Union Now that our farmers have uni ed politically it rests with them as to what they get or lose after next ete> tion, as in numbers they outnumbei all other classes and are ever on tbe increase. Toe present Aabitration Act came in for much censure by tbe meeting. Many settlers have sold out and gone to Queensland, where tbe land laws are good, land cheap, and roads and railways made whilst others are going to Canada and sxae to Argentina. “It is for tbe fanners oi New Zealand to stop this robberv of our best pioneer settlers,** saic a delegate. “We must each organise oor separate branches Now is a critical time.”