"SCORPIONS AFTER THEIR PREY."

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3430, 6 September 1913, Page 7

"SCORPIONS AFTER THEIR PREY."

EUROPEANS LOOKING FOR

NATIVE LANDS

SPIRITED APPEAL BY MR, PARATA.

[BY TELEGRAPH—PARLIAMENTARY CORRESPONDENT]

WELLINGTON Sept. 5. That Native lands should be rated for tlie purpose of makin roads and providing other conveniences to promote settlement was the subject this evening of some remarks from Messrs. J. A. Young (Waikato) and C. K. Wilson (Taumaranui) Mr. C. Parata (Southern Maori) made a. spirited defence against the proposal to place Native lands on tho same plane as European lands. Up to the he said, Native land had no commercial value to the Native, as he could not do anything with it. “But these Europeans were like carnivorous animals running round with great jaws ready to swallow up the Native land.” It mattered little to them whether the Maoris were driven to pauperism—they would not rest, but still ran round like scorpions after their prey. (Laughter.) / “Now,” said Mr. Parata, “how would Mr. Wilson get on with Find? Give him 2000 acres and let him/try to work it without capital. How would he get on? He would be scratching like a parrot. (Laughter.) That was the position the Maori was in to-day. He could not work his land because lie had no capital, and he could not lease without a ruinous procedure. Out of the 50,000 Maoris in the Dominion he believed there were not 100 who were capable of dealing properly to- the best advantage with their land, and if tho House passed legislation putting the Maori and the European on the same footing,..it would be most unfair. They would 'be plunging the Maoris into pauperism right away. Mr. Russell (Avon) also placed on record a plea for the Natives. He hoped the Minister for Native Affairs would think out some proposal by which the 1 heritage of the Maoris might be preserved to them.