NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2042, 20 November 1907, Page 3

NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT.

EXPLANATORY SPEECH BY MR CARROLL. LARGE AREAS TO BE DEALT AVITH. Press Association.

WELLINGTON, Nov. 19. In tho House this afternoon the Nativo Minister (tho Hon. Mr. Carroll) moved tho second reading of the Nativo Land Settlement Bi.ll. Ho said that the a-roa of land investigated by tho Nativo Commission consisted of 556,737 acres, and tho Commission recommended that it bo disposed of ns follows: (a) by sale 66,023 acres, (b) by lease 250,737 acres, and for Maori occupation 29,801 under various tenures. Tho quostion arose as to whether tho Bill should apply to land already reported on during the next twelve months. In view of tho demand tor land for settlement, lie thought an unbiassed mind would concede that the operations of the Bill should apply not merely to areas already reported on, but to areas to be reported on. In consequence of the great demand for land and tho amount of land unsettled in tho Kinocountry, It was essential that tho Bill should pass, and every delay meant a setting back of tho question of settlement of Native lands. Clause 2, “the vesting of Nativo lands in Maori Land Boards,” was, he agreed, perhaps the most important one in the Bill; and once that was disposed of o n lO Was ’ * lO sa *d> 110 reason why the Bui should not bo speedily passed, especially as though members differed in minor points they agreed "on the principal points. Referring to the lateness of tho day for introducing tho Bill, he contended that there was no subject which had occupied so much time and attention of members as the proposals contained in the Bill had from the very commencement of the session. Continuing, he said that though this was only an instalment of a policy it necessarily curtailed the range of members’ criticism, but as a policy laid down by tho House it would be for the House next session to make a complete consolida:i ~i <f all Native Land Acts. Ho went on to say that tilers was a far larger side to this question which had not yet been touched, and could not be touched at present. Owing to the lateness of tho session it h-acl never been considered how they wero to deal with larger areas and how they were to place Natives on their own lands and armed with provisions to allow of them occupying a similar position to that of Europeans. This was another reason why this Bill should be confined to a limited area as it were, only dealing with tho question from the point of view of public settlement. Provision was made in tho Bill for the vesting of land in Maori Land Boards in cases where Nativo land is

not required for occupation by tho Native owners. Referring to the question of settling Natives on their own lands ho said it- would be losing a. valuable asset to tho State if they did not see to Natives being so settled. Private dealings by t Maoris with land affected had as far as possible been done away with. In setting apart land for sale the Crown was given tho first option of taking it at a price fixed by the Board, and in such case the very action of taking the land placed it under the ordinary land laws of the -country, and a deal of expense was avoided thereby, tho land becoming converted to Crown lands without expense. . Under part 2 provision was made for setting land apart for occupation by Maoris, and under the same section the Board acted as agents for the Maori owners. The Bill only dealt with land that the Commission had dealt with. The machinery provided was confined to the area of 556,731 acres, but in 12 months’ time it might include a million or a million and a half acres. Mr. Herries thought it was a wrong

thing for any Government- to appointas members of a Commission a member of tho Judiciary Bench or member of Parliament. He objected to some provisions of the Bill which relegated to tlio Board tlie function of saying

how land should bo disposed of without- the Natives having any say in the matter whatever. To all intents and purposes the Native owner might be -in a lunatic asylum. The* speaker strongly objected to tho liolicy of keeping Natives in .a state of tutelage. No one in the Dominion desired freetrade in Native land, blithe was one of those who desired to educate Natives up to the standard of Europeans, so that- they could farm tlieir own lands and manage their own businesses. He urged that a policy should lie adopted of enabling tlie palcelia and Maori to meet face to face to transact business. Such a policy, lie contended, was fraught with good for tho -country. Every effort should be made to individualise Native lands as far as possible. Ho urged that- the operations of the Bill should bo confined to the area of land already reported on, and if this were done lie was quite prepared to give, the measure a fair trial. ITe pointed out that everything in tlie Bill was subject to the approval of t-he Native Minister. He had no objection to Air. Carroll, but it- was recognised that the Native Department was very slow in moving. . Mr. Ngata said that with the exception of a block in the King country, the land recommended for sale and lease was in accordance with the owners’ views. He had opposed the Bill when at first it came down, but tlio Maori members had boon met by tlio Government and the Bill amended in committee. The House adjourned at 5.30.