The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1909. A SIGN Of THE TIMES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2574, 7 August 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, AUGUST 7,1909. A SIGN Of THE TIMES.

There is abundant evidence that the vexed question of the settlement of Native lands, which has greatly prejudiced the welfare of the North Island for many years, is at last to become one of the chief, if not the chief, political issues of the day. The time has gone by when the Premier, or his Nat- : ive colleague, the Hon. James Carroll, could silence critics by vague allusions to the effect that a Royal Commission was to be set up, or that so many millions of acres had. been reported upon, or that there was a shortage of surveyors, or in mini-' erous other ways that come so readily to the facile tongue of the professional politician. In recent years the word “Taihoa,” as associated with the governmental administration of Native affairs, has been in common use and gradually it has been burning its way into the minds of the people of the Dominion that this “Taihoa” policy is a matter which affects them all. Not so long ago the task of drawing attention to the scandalous condition of Native affairs was left entirely to a few journals of this island, and a few members of the. Opposition party in Parliament; • now the matter lias been taken up by the press in all' parts of the Dominion. The Hon. Air. Carroll, noting the altered state of affairs, has adjusted bis attitude accordingly and, whereas he formerly smiled 'blandly upon those who persisted in stirring up this troublesome matter and complacently assured the public that all would be well provided the beneficieht and statesmanlike legislation of his Government, together with the well-ordered administration of his Department, were allowed to proceed undisturbed, lie now admits grave faults and promises to introduce radical amendments to tho existing law. However, the Hon. James’ plausible utterances at Papawai have by no means silenced the agitation for reform in Native land administration, and at tlic Agricultural Conference at present sitting in "Wellington the matter was up for discussion. Evidently the farmers of the country are not disposed, simply because the Acting-Premier has made, a speech, to relax their efforts towards bringing about more- land settlement. The Hon. James lias made many speeches in liis time —few can make , them better—but agreeable sounding phrases, whilst tickling tlie ears of an audience, do not necessarily involve subsequent action. He would certainly bo‘ a sanguine man. who expected much more from tb<?, Hon. Mr. Carroll than the pleasure of listening to his very excellent speeches, wherefore the farmer's are still crying out vigorously lot some practical efforts towards the opening up of Llie waste lands which at present constitute a block to .progress iu many parts of the North Island. In tlicir agitation they arc being very capably championed by Mr. Massey,

whose views on the subject are marked by sound commonsense. Speaking to a Wellington reporter, tho othor day, the Loader of tho Opposition said: '“lt scorns to mo that there is only ono way out of tho difficulty, and that is to place the Maori in the same position before the law as the European. There may be cases where it would be necessary to safeguard his interests by making it impossibly for him to dispossess himself of land, intended for the maintenance of himself and his family, but such cases could be provided for. The great majority of the Maori people are just as wed able to look after their own interests as the Europeans are, and they should certainly have the opportunity, of doing so. Their lands are gradually being increased in value by the improvements and industry of European settlers, and they should certainly contribute to the general revenue and local rates in proportion to the benefits they receive. Then as to tho Maoris themselves, the gentleman who is Acting-Premier is in ,aw a Maori, and another member of the Ministry is also a Maori, and I say (and no one will dispute this opinion) that if members of the Maori race are fit to govern the European population they are fit. to manage their own affairs.” We of the Poverty Bay district are vitally concerned in this matter, for Gisborne as a town and the whole of tho surrounding territory will advance at a greatly accelerated rate when the Maori lands north of the AVaiapu River are made available for effective occupation and development.