PURCHASING NATIVE LANDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 93, 5 September 1912, Page 5

PURCHASING NATIVE LANDS

CONSERVING THE INTERESTS OP THE MAORIS. By Telegraph—Own Correspondent. Wellington, Last Night. The Government has, not acted in the interests of the natives, declared the Ron. Dr. Pomare, one time Chief Native Health Officer, now a member for the Western Maori District, in the House yesterday afternoon. There was, he went on to say, instance after instance where the Government had bought land at a price detrimental to the Maori owners. The Government had bought various blocks of land at from 2s fid to 10s an acre, and sold it at a greatly enhanced value. He considered that future purchases of Maori lands should be under some system such as the followin <r: That if the Maori desired to sell, the Government should purchase the land and dispose of it to others on behalf of the natives. That was what a paternal Government ought to do. The supposed paternal Government of the past had traded on the Maoris, and the (Ton. Mr. Ngata had spoken very strongly about it in his report a few yeanago, and pointed out that the Government in the past had practically robbed the Maori in connection with 'the purchase of his lands. The late Government had bought Maori lands and sold ill em at tremendous advance*, and stuck 1.0 the. balance . That should not be. If. the Government wanted to treat the Maori fairly, it should oive the Maori the profit made on the sale of the land.