NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 October 1918, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

N.Z.E.F. & C. ASSOCIATION’S

DEMANDS.

HAWERA BRANCH’S RESOLUTION

HAWERA, this day,

The Hawera Branch of the Engineers, Firemen, and Cleaners’ Association resolved, “That this Branch demands that the Government give effect to the demands for increased wages and overtime rates for night duty. It calls upon the Executive of the Council to immediately take steps to get these requests agreed to by the Government,

CONFERENCE OF MAORI

TRIBES

MATTERS OF INTEREST DISCUSSED. WELLINGTON, this day.

A conference of representatives of Maori tribes in the North. Island has been held at the invitation of the Hon. Heuhcu Tukino to discuss the position of native lands throughout the Dominion. The main purpose -was to protest against the power vested in the Native Minister to acquire native lands by proclamation for the settlement of returned soldiers. Certain blocks in the Taupo district, principally on the southern side of the Jake, have boon proclaimed by the Government, and the Maoris are refusing to give up possession, according to their own statement. The conference decided to approach the government through the Maori Members of Parliament with a protest against this acquisition by proclamation and to ask that Government assistance be given to natives in order that they may make lands reproductive.

Matters in connection with the war were also touched upon, and the conference resolved to ask the Government to allow the Maoris who left in the early stages of the war to return to their homes; also to ask that no more than five hundred natives be recruited from the Waikato district under the Military Service Act, and that that Act be inoperative in the matter .of compulsory service for Maoris after five hundred have been obtained, further recruiting to be on the voluntary basis.

The Conference also decided to ask the Government to take steps to prevent* undue exploitation in the prices of foodstuffs.