The Native Bills.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 342, 24 August 1889, Page 2

The Native Bills.

Ta® Opposition papers evidently intend tol maks the Native Bills the subject of further* attacks upon the Government. The Post leads off with the subjoined article, which would ba more interesting if it contained a greater amount of the truth .’—The Legislative Council is deluged with Native Bills of one sort or another. Several of them aro of a most objectionable character, and others of doubtful morality. In the latter class may be placed the Government Native Land Purchase Act Amendment Bill, which would legalise what is little else than a species of robbsry or confiscation. In tho former category the Native Lands Courts Acts Amendment Bill may be placed, so far, at least, as it professess to alter the constitution of the Native Linds Court Department by the appointment of an * Administrative Officer,’ whoso duties seem to include most of those which were formerly discharged by the Chief Judge, but have recently been absorbed by the Native Department. In connection with this proposed appointment it is necessary to refer to the estimates. It will be remembered that Ministers have, time after time and year after year, promised to abolish the Native Department. It is one of the retrenchment proposals upon which Ministers chiefly pride themselves. Innocent people who find that In this year's Estimates the item of salaries for the Native Depart, ment no longer appears, have accepted this as a proof that the department is abo iehsd and its costs saved. This is a pure delusion. To the estimates is attached a little note—- ' The salaries of the Native Department are now charged against Civil List Native Purposes.’ Thus, all that has been done is to transfer the payments to a different account, but by this transfer they are taken out of the control of Parliament, and the items are at the absolute discretion of the Ministry of the day. The total, instead of being taken from the consolidated revenue, as it should hr, is filched from the money which the Constitution Act provided should be set apart and annually expended for native purposes. These native purposes have always been construed being purposes for the benefit of the such as compassionate allowances, pensions to deserving chiefs, medical dance and comforts, and similar is absurd to say the maintenance of a administrative Government department, such as the Native Office is, can be deemed a ' native purpose ’ within the meaning of the Constitution Act, which provided for the annual devotion cf £7OOO a year to * native purposes.’ It is a fraud on the natives to charge the department to this branch of the Civil List. This is probably felt to be the case, even by Ministers themselves, and we expect the arrangement is only intended as a temporary one until the duties of the department can be otherwise distributed or apportioned, and the present officers provided for under some other designation. Clause 3of the Native Lands Courts Act Amendment Bill is really intended to do this in regard to the permanent head of the Native Department, .Air T. W. Lewis, the Under-Seoretary. It is an open secret that the title and office of * Adminstrative Office • constituted by that section, is intended for Mr Lewis. He is probably as competent to fill it as anyone else, if the office is required at all. That is the real question ; sad with a full knowledge of the circumstanoes we have no hesitation in saying that the office is utterly unnecessary, that its creation will interfere materially with the efficient administration of the Native Land Court, and deprive the Chief Judge of much of the responsibility wh ch he is the proper person to bear. The ' Administrative Officer ’ will be as useful to the Court as a fifth wheel — a coach. We advise members of both Houses to look carefully into the job which it is sought to perpetrate by this Bill, and not to lend themselves to its support. The whole batch of Native Bills are indeed of a suspicious character and need close scrutiny.