MAORI ASFIRATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 57, 15 March 1907, Page 3

MAORI ASFIRATIONS.

THE yoi'NU NATIVES' PARTY. MEKTINi; WITH THE XATLVK j\ilN liSTEiv. On Wednesday morning the Hon James Carroll, Minister for Nutiv Ali'airs, received a deputation of mi , lives at liawera in the Fur i-eaters* Hall, and sonic thirty oi iorty natives were present, and prob übly represented most of the Maori: res : dent on the West Coast from Wai - tolara to Opunake. Mr. Jackson Pal mcr, Chief Judge of the Native Lanu 3 Court, Judge llawson, and Judge £ Fisher were also present. ' W. Fox introduced the native#, anil in n few words weieoined the Minister. iNgaruru, the lirst speaker, after the e umuil native oratorical embelli-hmems liv way of introduction, said he wished . to disclose the aspirat:ons of liis ? party, the Voting Natives' Party. They . were turning i heir minds in the direction of gett ng land to use fit for themselves. They had a strong desire mr farmng. especia.lv da.ry fanning, i'hey had hut little land ieft. but Still ; .lie beat use could be and should be 'made of thai. They required assistance fiO.ii the Government, linaneial and educational, so as to enable thein to secure the very best results. As to iinance there neetl not be any fear on wise part of theGovernnient on account of the question of security or sil'ety in lending money; ifor the land was practically in the hands of the Government, and was only set apart for the natives' use and -occupation. The Government had lull security, and also ,ia 1 the means of ascertaining the character and stability of those requiring help. Theti there was the mutter of education, and he hoped that means would be found for enabling the natives to participate in technical educa- • tion—that was an important matter for the proper education of the Maori people. They .felt that in these matters they i)id now reached the parting of the ways. Tbcy had clung in years pas>t to their old people out of respect and deference to them, but they must declare that the present tme was one so far as they weie concerned for taking a new departure. Therefore they earnestly urged ou the Government.to , aid them iu the matters he had referred to. He a!so said that while they needed assistance to go on to land now available they would like to see further provision of lands for natives who at present had no chance. Ratoia, speaking in a poetical strain, said among other tilings that the toi toi bush might be becoming extinct, but he hoped that that fact would not be taken advantage of by the Government to inundate them with .innovations. Whatever changes and reforms were he hoped they might be gently applied.

Katiika, u Waitotai'ii native, went on to refer to a couple of blocks of land in the locality from wliiich ho. wime, anil expiessed the hope that the T'liblic Trustee wot'Ul have iliem out, up ami indiv:di'uli.-Cil so thai the young people could get on these lands and profitably occupy them, lie said the industrial movement had a strong hold upon his young people. Tuwliakn (fion Opunakc), Kev Mi' Haddon, and several other natives also spoke in similar strain. The Hon. Mr. Carroll, after the usual courtesy greetings proceeded to deal with the various matters brought before him. The question of the day, lie'said, was the luiure of the Maori, what was to be done, how could be be best equipped for the battle of life, what institutions could he established "or his benefit, what assistance could be given Mm in education or otherwise, how could he he lifted in the social and industrial scale? He was glad to know of the movement on the part of the young progressive party. It was welcome evidence t'o him that at any rate some of the aspirations he liad on ""Tfchalf 6T his people might reach fulfilment. There was no getting away irom the fact that the Maori if lie was to be worth anything must work, and he could not be expected to work with nothing in hand. He should be provided with land, he should be made to use that land in the best possible way, i stock it and farm" it. Occupation itself would keep him away from temptation, and {5 the end his labor would result In "him making fair provision for his wife anil family. At the present time the Maori and his money soon parted. There was always sumc mischiof found for idle hands. Whatever money the Maori got from rent* or as remuneration for labor soon went in pleasure and uuprolitaMc occupations. Therefore he hoped dr.movement by the young party would continue and endure, because it gave every promise of being useful. The .Maori must lirst cure himself, build up his character, conquer the weaknesses which too often beset him, practice se.f-denial, and then when he was assisted financially and otherwise by the .morninent, lie would be rewarded by his improved condition and the general uelterment of the race which must follow. In his (Mr. Carroll's) opinion smail farming would be suitable for the Maori, but lie was also glad to hear that they were anxious to have their share of technical education. lie

thought they eouM Ile butter fitted fur life by technical education than by being taught the classics and aneie/nl; literature. By technical education they would be taught something that was familiar to them. They knoiv that husbandry was taught in the early, ages of the oid Maori schoolmasters—a knowledge of the soil ami its characteristics was imparted in the old days to those following such pursuits. Incantations were taught and rites and ceiemonies which showed the importance that was placed on cultivation and its methods. But they learned not only the art of husbandry but also the leaking of canoes, and the different cut styles of architecture and carving, so that really technical education would be ploughing up not new but old ianiiliar ground. He would represent what they had said on this subject to the Government.

Mr. Carroll concluded by giving the natives some sound advice as to their obligations, ai(d the interview ended after the Minister had been thanked in orthodox manner. —Abridged from "Star." ,