The Daily News. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22. NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 22 November 1907, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22. NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT

"The .Maori ideal," declared .Mr. N"g:ita, in ilie course of hi - very able speech on the* Native Land Settlement Bill, delivered ill the Ilou.se on Tuesday night, "the -Maori ideal is to leave tilings exaelly as they are.'' According to a statement made in Parliament last session, (he lands still in the possession of the .Maorirs of New Zealand number some eight millions of acres. If the said eight millions of acres lie divided liy -lii.'ono—the estimated number of the Maori people-it will be at once seen that every man. woman, and child of the Maoris is the possessor of the right to a very considerable estate. The majority of sensible people will no doubt a"]ve that if it so happened that. 42.(100 Europeans held eight millions of the best land in the Dominion, their ideallike that of the Maorio—would be to leave things as they are. The position, however, is that there are some 1150,000 Europeans, the bulk of whom have not got any land at all, and, naturally, they turn their eyes upon the large areas unprotitably held by the Maori people.

Oil behalf of the Europeans, it is a fair ' tiling to remember that there are 1 amongst their number a few individuals in the enjoyment of very large areas, and that by legislation this session an attempt has been made to force a more equal distribution of these lands. If it is a just principle to endeavour to compel the European to part with a portion of hits large estate, it cannot be held unjust to apply the same principle to the Maori. It is to the interest of every inhabitant —Maori and Euro- , pean alike—that the lands of the country should be turned to profitable account. The land is the capital stock of the Dominion, and upon its successful working the prosperity of the people | rests. There are in the colony at this moment thousands of workers eager to go upon the land and turn it to wealth production, and it lias been felt a paramount duty devolving upon the Government to do the utmost in their power to meet the aspirations of these would-be settlers in this regard. In their Land Bills this session the Government have made a fair ateinpt to meet the necessities of the situation, and, having dealt with the lands held in unprofitable excess by te European, it is right now that some attention should be bestowed upon the "ideal of the Maoris."

Bill after Bill has been passed in attempts" to deal satisfactorily with the native land question, and every succeeding Bill has but added to the trouble, until now it is confidently asserted that there are not half-a-dozen persons in the country who can be said to clearly comprehend the actual position. As far -back as ISOS an effort was made to individualise Maori titles. Of course, it can be readily understood that the idea underlying the legislation was, by Irestowing upon each individual the right to dispose of his share in what was then communal property, to afi'ord opportunities to the European for its more speedy and easy acquirement. The hungerers after big estates could acquire land much more comfortably, and. perhaps, more cheaply, if they were enabled to buy out the rights of the individual holders singly. But the ideal of the Maori* was then as it is now; they preferred that things remained as they were. It is very easy to pass laws affording opportunities, but if the proffered opportunities are steadfastly declined, no advance is made. The Maoris adhere to the communal system; they are familiar with it; it has subsisted amongst them since first they came to New Zealand; it has grown to be part of their nature; and, apart from all other considerations, it is quite natural that their ideal should be to let things remain as they are. It is impossible, however, that things can be suffered' to remain as tliev are.

In order to the elucidation of details wrapped in obscurity, and with a view to assist thorn in the finding of a policy that might prove a reasonable compromise, the Government appointed a Koyal Commission to deal with the native land question. This Commission has presented a progress report, in which some 500,000 acres are dealt with. Of this acreage, they recommend that 280,000 nhoiild be reserved for the Maori people; that of the remainder (270.000 acres), 06,000 should Ik l sold ffreehold), and that the remaining 213,000 acres should be disposed of on the leasehold principle. The Government have submitted to the Legislature a Bill to give effect to the recommendations of the Commission, the chief modifying feautre of which is that of the 270,000 acres left after tho reservation to the Maoris, one-half shall bo sold, and onehalf offered to intending settlers on leasehold. This Bill is under discussion as we write; and no doubt the progress of the measure will be watched by the country with the greatest interest.