NATIVE MINISTER'S STATEMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 197, 18 September 1878, Page 2

NATIVE MINISTER'S STATEMENT.

WednesdayAfter the House resumed i^st bight, Mr Sheehan delivered _iih Native Statement, which otonp_ed an hour and a half. He reftSVea to the unsatisfactory condition of the Native _ office when the present Ministry came into power, contrasting it with tbe hopeful aspect of affairs now. The last Government bad failed to "adv_i-.ee _.. Ihe right direction with the Natives, and se'emed to have given it up as a bad .•job. Tlie gVaVefjfc con.plicat.ous bad fttis'cir, anil they had reason to believe that at least three-fourths of the 'ttonev spent in negotiating Native lands Would be lost. In various places the surveys hid been stopped, the stations broken down; and the surveyors themselves fe^riVed of their instruments.^ .The Motive Lauds Court could not sr»ctfs'e'd in various parts of the country especially at Maketu and the Tnames. Then on the West Coast large areas of valuable land, which had been taken m payment for rebellion, had been allowed to lie untouched so long that in point of fact the original Maori owhets begati to think we had given the lauds Up and were occupied in. leasing it td private European individual s. Ooming down overland from Auckland to Wanganui on« day he found a European driving his cattle over the Waimate Plains, and enquired whut was his business aud found that he had actually leased some lind from Titoko Waru and o'thei. chiefs. A few days afterwards he received a summons for tres passing on Crown lands, which was upheld by the Court, and he soon gave up occupation. Offences of all kinds were allowed to pass untouched, and there was general discontent amongst all the Natives, maihly in consequence of the officers of the State alid subordinate officers acquiring Native lands. Their policy had been a face to face one, and he had consequently met the Natives at every settlement of any consequence trOni the North Cape to Kaiapoi, and learnt their grievances from their oWn lips, had advised and assisted them, aim generally restored confidence to the Native mind. Respecting the decrease of the Maori population he reared these signs indicated that the race would become extinct. This he attributed to their intemperate habits. Tbe children died from want of attention, and the old people wasted their substance in the public houses abd they were all badly fed and lodged. The most thickly peopled districts were Hokianga, Bay of Islands, Mongonui, Whangarea, Kaipara, Tauranga, Maketu, the Lakes, and Opotiki. The total of. these districts, male and female.in 1874 was 16,441, and in 1878) 14,47$ showing' a decrease of 1,966 in SoUt years, or 12 per cent. Nothing but better diet, more comfort, and greater activity of mind would check their downward career. He intended to ask the House to put a stop to the sale of spirits in Native districts and to ask the Natives themselves to assist in carrying it out. Over £13,000 was spent last year on Native schools, and this year they would spend £14,500, and they proposed to establish boarding schools. They would increase the salaries of the toasters all round so as to secttre the best teachers. A hopeful feature was that there were many European children in the Maori schools. He strongly condemned the.failure of the religious bodies to utilise their endowments of the Native land unless for tbeir own benefit, and the House should compel them either to utilise the lands for the purposes of the trust or to give them back. On the question of Maori representation he believed in exceptional representation at the present time, though it would soou cease to be required. As they were now on the eve of finishing up everything betxveen the two races, and putting them on an equal footing, everything should be.avoided which would tend to widen the distance between them. At present they could register under the leasehold, household, or freehold qualifications, but he had promised to limit it to freehold only, and to leave them their present number of members until next year. —The Hon. gentlemen then detailed at considerable length the whole hißtory of the Hikurangi and Waitara meetings, arguing that had it not been for Sir George Grey's accession to office these meetings would not have been held. Now, instead of tbeir old sulky issolation, the Natives were constantly consulting the Government bv letter and telegraph. They were putting up telegraphs and constructing roads now, where before it was impossible for a European to go. Rewi and other chiefs were large shareholders in the Hannah Mokau steamer trading along the Taranaki coast, which showed the change of feeling coming over the Maoris. After giving details regarding the land purchases up to the Ist July last, he said that they had spent £582,000, leaving a balance of £118,000. The total area of land purchased in respect of which the title had been completed was 2,011,000 acres. The total for the present year was 59,000 acres. The total area brought under the operation of the Waste Lands Courts was 1,316,000 acres, and during the present year they proposed bringing another half million acres under the administration of the Waste Lands Courts. There were 253 outstanding claims incomplete, for which he estimated £159,000 would be required. Referring to certain dismissals, which the Committee of enquiry moved for, he said that whoever was at the head of the Native department should have the power to remove or dismiss any officer when the public interest required, and he would expect the House to give him that power. They would require the greater part of the Hot Springs country, and prevent the alienation of the remainder so as to preserve the district for the' benefit of the public at large. The principle upon which Native laud should be dealt with in future was this}: —A large area of country over which the Government did not intend to obtain the title would be opened for private purchase. Before, however, any title would be completed thereto the consent of tlie Governor in Council would have to be obtained. Should the Government, however, desire to obtain the land for public purposes they would be entitled to do so by payment of the stipulated purchase money and the incidental expenses connected with the purchase, or any portion of the land might be acquired on the same terras, or the Government might insist upon the block being cut up into small allotments. They proposed to enquire into the claims made by the Natives of the Middle Island. The lion gentleman received loud applause from both sides. The remainder of tbe sitting was in Committee on the Electoral Bill, which advanced to clause 37 without any material amendment. The House rose at 11*45 p.m.