NATIVE LANDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1121, 30 August 1879, Page 2

NATIVE LANDS.

THE.GOVERNMENT SCHEME. The following is the portion of Mr Sheehan's speech, on the native land question, delivered, on Tuesday, at the meeting of the North New Zealand Association : —

He would next speak of the present and future of the question. The Government'ought to complete existing arrangements m respect of what money had been paid or agreements made. No new system should interfere with those on which a balance of tho purchase-money remainedto.be paid. We have given to natives the right to put their lands through the Courts. The lands passed through the Court must be left m the condition at which they had arrived. To go hack would be to become powerless, and bo suspected of an inclination to act against what was right and fair. The essential conditions of all dealing with Maoris might be concisely stated : First, fair-play ; second, fair price ; third, reasonable reserves, and proper provision for public purpose's, recreation grounds, cemeteries, and. so on. (Cheors.) He proposed to introduce a bill to give effect to these objects. These conditions could not be obtained by private purchasers. No private purchaser could be placed m a position that he would be forced to perform those conditions. This is a fair solution of tho whole difficulty— fair to the Mnori, fair to the European, and fair to the Government and to all classes now m this country. The bill which he proposed to introduce would enforce compliance with all those conditions. It would secure to the vendors a just price, and all public interests. It would secure a fair competition, the man with moderate means being placed m as favorable a position to buy land as the man with laiye capital. That is a part of the policy of the present Government. He presumed ho might be permitted to say the present Governmeut—but even that was uncertain since it w.'is something like Mahomet's coffin, which was hung up between heayen and earth. (Laughter and cheers.)

There was such a thing as carrying a Govennment purchase system too far. Having acquired sufficient public estate to secure the land for trunk lines and all necessary publio needs, it might again become desirable to allow of private purchase under proper restrictions, fair competition,, and au open market, being provided. The law which he proposed was to the effect that any Maorj. possessing laud for sale should be allowed to adopt two courses— either to sell to tho Government, the Government purchasing public estate ; second, to be allowed to refuse to sell to Government. Then having refused to sell to Government, the question arose, m what way might the land be utilised ? He had pointed out that, if the Maoris had uncontrolled license to do as they liked, they would go iuto the liands of private persons, who would build, up large properties for their individual benefit, which it would be difficult to reach hereafter for State purposes. The Government might step m and say to the Maori who wished to sell, say, 100,000 acres of land : — *?Yon do not wish to sell to us, and of course we will not buy your land; but if you are willing to give it up to us as trustees for you, we will survey it, We will cut it up, we will make all necessary reserves for public purposes, we will take off what is necessary for native reserves, we will put the land up for sale, it will be sold under the regulation of the Tfraste land laws of the province m which the land is situated, it will be sold for- the best price that can be obtained, and having deducted the cost and charges, we will hand you the balance." As to Waste Lands Boards, the time had come, he thought, for their abolition. They were irresponsible bodies. After the Colonial Treasurer, they performed some of the most important administrative works m the country. There should be a Minister of Lands, responsible to the public and liable to be turned out df office. He did not approve of small holdings of land any more than those gentlemen who so strenuously condemned them. Five hundred acres of land m some parts of the colony would not keep a rat. He believed the legislation he now proposed would be acceptable to the man of Wealth as well as the mau of moderate means and the Maori.