FARMING BY MAORIS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2229, 29 June 1908, Page 2

FARMING BY MAORIS.

THE COMMUNAL SYSTEM.

THE DOCTRINE OF .WORK

[Special io_ “Times.”]

AUCKLAND, Juno 27. That the Maori is fully capable of becoming an expert agriculturist has been demonstrated in many parts of the North 'lsland where favouring • conditions 'have freed him from the fetters of liis, old communal laws. This is to be seen even around; Kuwhia and is particularly in evidence on rho East Coast where -mauy fine sheep farms and dairy.farms are owned and worked completely and profitably by Maori farmers, who make industrious settlers, good neighbors., and law-abid-ing citizens. To give Rua . his due he has sedulously preached the gospel of work among his followers, and has pointed out that what the pakeha , can do with their lands they can do for themselves. What we have so strenuously objected (remarks an. Auckland paper), and 1 what we shall never cease to oppose ,is tho pernicious and untenable dogma that the Maori should sit tight on his land until the European is driven by land hunger to work it for him as ia. rentpaying tenant-, thus establishing the Native remnant as an idle and hefe" ditary rent-gathering caste, whoso lands are inalienable, and who have all the advantages of civilisation -.- without the hardships and responsibilities. This the British settler will never permanently submit to, but for the Maori to work filler-land. a 6 an-, other matter work what ho can and if the pakeha is allowed fair access to land which otherwise would remain unproduct-ive,-the special Native land difficulty disappears in a manner -beneficial in the highest degree to both races, and to the community as «, whole. Therefore,- the movement which has arisen among the Maoris in favor of that agricultural education and- txrafining which will fit them to become farmers .is one deserving of every encouragement, for that the native people are ready to make sacrifices inthis movement and give -such sound evidence of being prepared to take a definitely progressive step is a most encouraging sign. ■ One thing to bo remembered',is that the Maori ha 6no chance whatever, excepting when the communal system is extinguished. The communal system worked- well enough when the fighting strength of the -tribes was the first consideration and when nothing Interfered with tribal law, but when it does nothing whatever but expose the industrious cultivator of a kumara-patch to tlie plunder of that patch by tribes tlio system is ridiculous. The Maori who works should lie protected in tlio resultant prosperity. The Maori who idles should be left, to learn by tlie natural consequence of idleness, ami the State should give every encouragement to, training farms and should- * make it as easy as possible for tlio Maori to become a fanner upon laud , which is individually his.