STATEMENT ON NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 974, 19 September 1878, Page 2

STATEMENT ON NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Mr Seeehan proceeded to deliver his Statement on Native Affairs. He referred to the peaceful and satisfactory state of tbe relations with natives* and the well-grounded hopes that might now be entertained of gradually elevating thejnatives to a condition approaching that of Europeans. ..He referred to tli*» very unsatisfactory state m which questions of native land purchase aud surveys were When C he took office. So bad was this that he found large blocks of confiscated land untouched and apparentely unclaimed so long that the Maoris thought they had became theirs again. On one occasion; too i found » native driving cattle on to the Waimate plains, whioh, he alleged, he leased from Titokowaru and other natives. He very so m made that person aware that he was trespassing upon Crown lands, and he was very glad to say he was upheld, by the Court. On the whole, he thought the management of native affairs previously shewed a want of nerve and firmness, and he thought he would be able to shew that the present Government had so aqted ..as. to restore the confidence of the natives m. ■ the Legislature, and generally; -to' show the^ House that the conduct of the present Government ha^ been such as to justify the belief that they were worthy of being still trusted with the management of native affairs. He quoted statistics to shew* fehaV'the 'Maojri race was slowly; but surely, approaching ex tmction. Sinc6 '1874 tho race decreased 1966 persons. He attributed this to the want of proper care for the Very young, and the neglect of their old, their poor diet and habitations, their indulgence m Jiquor, and thair well-known communistic habits and their depraved way of living. A hopeful sign; as against all this, was the fact that the half-caste ! was of superi. a physique to either the Maori or European. There was also a considerable revival m the direction of religion, he having seen four different forms of worship being observed going on at the same time m one enclosure. But this was a matter Government should not interfere with. The good effects of this had been seen m the influence of Te "Whiti, m restraining the violent propensities of some of the natives. Exceedingly hopeful, too, was the decrease m the state for strong drink. During the four days of the Hikurangi meeting, not a single; Maori, was drunk, and the consequence was general improvement m appearance. [The Maoris were healthier, better dressedj and altogether happier. He would .not prevent Maoris obtaining a glass of Mquor m the European settlements, but they would ask the assistance of the House to prevent the use of alcoholic liquors m the native settlements. As to eduoation, there were 60 schools, with an attendance of over 2000 children. They proposed to spend £14,000 this year on native schools, by raising the pay of teachers,, so as to get (better men. It was alsri .proposed to extend the system of boarding-schools for native children, becaiise when a Maori boy left school and went back to his tribe, what was there before him but to take up and follow the ways of his tribe. He strongly deprecated the action of religious bodies m regard to large trusts of land, from the, way m which these bodies neglected their duties m these matters. It was time the State interfered to compel them either : to -intake proper use of these trusts,: or give , them back to the State, He proposed that the Maoris should be enabled to sit as jurors, m Courts ol Justice. Kespecting representation, he thought it would be better to confine the Maori's right to that of freehold only. He believed they were now on the eve of a final completion and permanent settlement oi peacoful relations with the natives. He referred to the negotiations with the Maori King, saying that it was the accession to office 'of Sir George Grey which led to the reropening of negotiations, and but for that there would have been no negotiations. For days and days after they took office, invitations to meet the King and his people literally poured m upon them. There was now an absolute certainty that the proposals made at Hikurangi would be accepted, and made the basis of a permanent arrangement with the Kingites. I The result of the Waitara meeting was ridiculed m some quarters, but ho ventured 1 to say that the Waitara meeting was the key-stone of the arch, and, as a proof, :he gave several instances of actions of cordiality on the part of Rewi, showing his anxious desire to work m harmony with the Europeans. Ever since, neither he nor his people undertook anything of importance without first telegraphing to the Premier or himself. Then he could point to the steamer built solely for the Maori trade, and owned by Rewi and other influential chiefs. A noticeable effect of the recent native meeting with Ministers was the general spread of law and order throughout the whole Island. In a fewdays, concessions would be made by which a line of road and telegraph would be made where hitherto it had been impossible to do so. So important did he consider their work during the recess that he felt that a section of the members of the House seemed animated by a desire to under-value the results of the exertions of the Ministry m native matters. The hon. gentleman paid a high compliment to the assistance and invaluable services rendered by Major Brown m effecting an amicable adjustment of the difficulties which surrounded the work of getting the "Waimate Plains surveyed peacefully. He instanced the case m which Te Whiti refused to accept a portion of the plunder of some thieving Maoris who sought refuge with him Then, another significant instance 3f the change which had come over the Maoris of the West Coast was the fact ihat a turbulent chief, Te Whiao, only recently liberated, who threatened violence ;o some surveyors, was arrested as a ragraut and fined £5. In regard to native and purchases, he could assure the House hat, although they had been only somo sight months employed, there had been hree times the quantity of land put hrough the Courts than m the previous r ear. He lamented the injury and emlarrassujenfc that ,h.ad. bfeen caused to the

previous Government m the acquisition of | native lauds by .private persons. Fortunately, the legislation of last session saved the present Government from that. /He\ proposed to increase the number of Mive judges, aud to abandon the sysffih! of purchasing or holding leasehold j|trom natives if they^jould not aequireWelibla. Last year, they pr%ibited^very|%acer m the Native Department from a<Mmng native laud. Th|gnow i^oposlpd go further, and pre^ipt everyJfGovJrlfinent officer trafficking® native lanld. Ksgard-' ing the purchase of native lands, there was at present 253 outstanding blocks ..ofU 3,U3,0U0 acres, for .jvluch the. Bum.oJ £186,000 was paid, and to' complete which t'503,000 was yet to be paid. But he believed the Government would have to abandon some of these blocks, or make, some different' arrangements .with the Maoris. He believed ihe $G©vsrmnent would not be able to. acquire the freehold of all the' Mot Lake District of Kotoraahana, but they would prevent its , alienation to private parties, and husband, it for the use of the public of the world. An offer of Ohinemuri had been made,; and Government intended to acquire the freehold., ,As to the removal of certain officers, which the member for "Wanganui was moving to enquire into, he .wouldpoint out that the Native Department was under Government, and whoever was at the head of it must have power to change and remove his officers whenever public interest required it, and he had only acted m the' public interest. Coming to the i Native Land Bill he propoaed to introduce, they proposed to restrict their land purchase operations, and to allow no title to be completed by private purchase without passing the ordeal of the Governor m Council ; that, should the Government desire to obtain any blocks for the public, they could do so by payment of the stipulated purchase money, with incir dental expenses connected with purchase or any portion of it m the same terms, or insist on the cutting up of the block into small allotments. The claims made by the South Island natives regarding certain alleged promises made to them m regard to their land should be investigated. He hoped the time was not far distant when not only the native question would be m o more, but the Native Department would be abolished, and both races' would be obeying , one law and . speaking one language. (Loud applause.) ' The House then adjourned at halfpast .10. ; .. ;