THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1913. NATIVE LAND BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 11 October 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1913. NATIVE LAND BILL.

The Native Land Act Amendment Bill introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday is, in some respects, of very great importance to the Dominion. The proposal to do away with the existing Native Land Boards, and to replace them with a Judge and a Registrar, is practically reverting to a system that obtained some years ago. The Land Boards, as at present constituted, have not shown a very keen anxiety to expedite the sub-division and settlement of Native lands. Indeed, they seem to have cultivated that "Taihoa" feeling that has characterised the administration of the Native Department for some years past. From a national viewpoint, the placing of the administration in the nands of Judges alone will be satisfactory. The proposal to do away with the system of convening meetings of assembled owners to determine whether Mocks of land shall be disposed of, and to allow individual owners to treat with the Crown, as formerly, is a good one. The meet-

ings of assembled owners have proved delusions. Instead of facilitating the opening up of Native lands, they have impeded settlement. There is, of course, a good deal of force in the contention of Native members of the House that the Maoris should be pro-. tected against exploitation by Europeans, and,that they should also be protected against themselves. No measure will be satisfactory that does not offer this protection. So far as wo can judge from the brief outline of the Bill contained in a telegraphic message, the Minister is not dealing with the Native land question in that comprehensive way that the people had been led to expect. He is, in fact, merely tinkering with the problem. There is a strong feeling throughout the Dominion that the State, should acquire every acre of Native land and throw it open for settlement, giving the Natives the first opportunity of acquiring sections .forthemselves and working them under the provisions of the Land Act. The land might be acquired oh debentures, and leased or sold in small parcels. Only a portion of the proceeds should be handed to the Natives, and the remainder should be administered by the Public Trustee, in such a way that it would not be dissipated. At the present time several millions of acres of Native' lands are lying 'idle, and the Natives are['.growing wealthy arid fat oh the unearned increment. This' is a condition of affairs that should not be permitted to exist. We are all proud of'the physique and intellectual capacity of our native race. But we are killing the) race with kindness. Wo are pampering it too much. Natives are.being brought up to lives of idleness. "They do not recognise their responsibilities as citizens, nor do they contribute their fair quota in either'labour or taxation towards the development and protection of the country. \ They are growing more indolent, every day, and their numbers are being decimated by indulgences brought about by lack of wdrk and responsibility. It is in the interests of the Natives themselves, as in those of the Dominion, that the Crown should devise means to take over the whole of the Maori lands and have them at once cut up and brought under cultivation. Our Legislature has been standing on sentiment far too long. It has produced a Maori aristocracy cheek by jowl with communistic pauperism, neither of which are godd for the country or the aboriginals. Wo had expected the Native Minister to make a determined effort to remove the reproach that has so long rested upqn our Native land administration. And we are disappointed that, in the measure introduced yesterday, he has apparently Only touched "the fringe of the subject. "■"".