THE MAORI MIND

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 260, 27 June 1932, Page 2

THE MAORI MIND

1NTEREST1NG TALK i « p ti v, l ■ CHIEF JUDGE JONES SAYS BETTER UNDERSTANDING ! NEEDED. OWNERSHIP OF LAND. The Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, Mr. R. N. Jones, who is now presiding at the Appeal Court in 'Rotorua, delivered an interesting address in Wellington recently on "The Maori and his Land." The troubles in New Zealand in the

past, said Judge Jones, had all arisen through a lack of understanding of the Maoris' point of view. It was not suliiciently understood that the Maori was a very religious man. Everything in his life was governed by ritual— * birth, attainment of the ranlc of warrior, entrance . into battle, jnarriage, and death were all attended with appropriate ceremony. These were now perpetuated in the ceremony of the tangi, which still held a great and sacred meaning for the Maori, al-« though some Europeans through lack of understanding were inclined to condemn it. The Maori was good-heart-ed, industrious, hospitable, and gentlemanly. He was, however, a great stickler for his own ways, and to avoid offending him it was neeessary to understand his psychology. Passion for his Land. It was difficultfor a European to realise, said the speaker, how great was the Maori's passion for his land — j not any land, but his own, for he could never be persuaded to occupy lands not belonging to his tribe. This was shown some years ago on the East Coast, when a number of Maoris lost all their lands through liqiudation of a land company. Attempts were made to provide for thern by placing them on other lands a short distance away, but this was of no nse, as the Maoris would not take up land that had not bcen handed down from their ancestors. All land was community owned. No land belonged .to any particular person, although individuals had the right to use the land and receive the benefits of crops produced by their own labours. Maori titles were acquired by discovery, conquest, gift and descent. Occupation, however, was compulsory, there being no title without it. When Te Rauparaha invaded Canterbury and saclced Kaiapohia he acquired no title, because he never occupied the place. But at spring week in the Blenheim districl}, he occupied the conquered territory and acquired titular rights. The subsequent attempts by Europeans to buy the land from the locally defeated Natives led to the well known Wairau massacre. ICeen on Rights. The Maori would always fight for his rights, and he recognised no statute of limitations. All wrongs must be righted, with the result that his title was not as safe as a European's, being always in danger of claims presented by other Natives, generally at the instigation of some designing European in the bacltground. Various troubles could arise. For example, in the case of conquest A might take land from B, who later, with the help of C, would reconquer the land. The descendants of all three would be lilcely to malce claims, and it would be very difficult to arrive at the true position. Marriage into other tribes also complicated matters. The person going away lost his rights, but his descendants might wish to return. The first generation would generally be welcomed and receive their rights, the second generation might be received, but their claims would be wcakpr, and any benefits received by the third generation would be ex gratia, while the claims of later generations would not be recognised at all. All claims to titbs were based on genealogies. Families kept records tracing their descent from the common ancestor — a great feat when they had to depend on memory alone. Although land was communal, portions were allocated to the various tribes, which in turn parcelled it out for use by the various families. Biflicullics being Overcome. The speaker traccd the legislation dealing with Maori lands from the

first Act in 1862 up to the present day. The Maori had no money to im"provc his land, and was often blamed for not doing so, particularly by the European who wanted to acquire it. The Maori welcomed the pakeha coming to sottle near him, but even when willing to sell found great difficulty in giving a title. These difficulties were now being overcome. Titles were now investigated and put in order so that they could be transferred if desired. Money was being advanced to enable the Maori to fence, grass and stock his lands, and he was fast becoming a successful farmer, un occupation for which he had a nataral aptitude and liking. The speaker concluded by appealing for svmpathy for the Maoris in their ondcavour to stancl by the whi/e mari.