NATIVE LANDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 223, 20 March 1914, Page 6

NATIVE LANDS.

SPEECH BY THE NATIVE MINISTER.

In the course of an address to the natives at Parihaka on Wednesday, after the departure of the Governor and party, the Hon. Mr.. Hurries, Minister of Native Affairs, said that the Native Land legislation, passed by the present Government was beneficial to the natives. They had a hard fight to. get it through the House. Sir James Carroll and Mr. Ngata had accused them of being thieves and robbers of the, natives, •but those speakers had only been trying to enlist the sympathy of the South Island members, who knew nothing about the matter.. Really he. had severed the bond which tied them hand and foot previously. He had not taken the natives' land from them, but had merely given them opportunities to sell it, if they so desired. If they did not wish to sell they need not, but they did, the Government was prepared to give them a fair price. They had practically placed the pakcha and the Maori on the game footing. Some people might come round and make them belive that thev had been badly treated, but it was not so. The complaints of Sir James Carroll and Mr. Ngata against the legislation were made because they wanted to get back again, and climb on the ton of the ■Maoris' backs to do so. So much for politics l , he said. He advised them to take as true what Dr. Pomare had told them. The Government had nb desire to do any possible harm to the natives, but wanted to do good to them. If the Maori did not like to sell the land, the Government would endeavour to partition it and place them on the land to work it, instead of allowing it to grow noxious weeds. That was the policy of the present Government, and in the Bill they had put through they had reversed the old policy of tying up the natives. In conclusion, he said he onlv wished that some of the South Island members who said the Maori was so onpressed, could have seen them drive to this meeting in their motor-cars, with plenty of money, and all doing well.