cHAP. 111] TREATMENT OF NATIVE RACES 1059
number of Maori members was made. No registration is
required among the electorate, which consists of Maoris, and
since 1893 the Maori women enjoy the suffrage. Of recent
years the interest in elections seems clearly to have in-
creased, and the recent Royal Commission in 1910 revealed
a good deal of jobbery of quite a European type. In 1909
Sir J. Ward urged the success of the Maori vote as a reason
for providing representation for the natives by natives if
desired in the Parliament of the Union of South Africa, and
Sir J. Carroll, who is part Maori, has several times acted as
Premier.
The policy adopted by the Government has been to main-
bain the native land laws, which have, however, been modified
from time to time and have been finally codified in 1909 by
the native member of the Executive Council. Moreover
the Executive Council and the Legislative Council, like the
Lower House, contain Maori members.
The acquisition of land! from the Maoris is conducted
through the Government, and, thanks to its policy, large
quantities of land are being made available for European
settlement without trenching on the lands which are neces-
sary for the Maoris to live upon, for the lands still in their
possession and assured to them by the Treaty of 1842 and
subsequent legislation (the Treaty in itself not being sufficient
to confer a paramount right) are very much greater than
can be turned to profitable use by their Maori owners. The
mode of acquisition of land makes suitable provision to
secure that the funds obtained by the disposal of the land
to Europeans may not be wasted by the recipients, but that
part at least shall be invested for their permanent benefit.
From time to time petitions have been addressed to the
Imperial Government by New Zealand Maoris, asking that
His Majesty the King should interfere in some way or other
' See the excellent Land Act, No. 15 of 1909; No. 82 of 1910; Parl.
Pap., Cd. 5135, p. 17; see also on the land laws Willoughby v. Panapa
Wathopt, 29 N. Z. L. R. 1123. Cf. Nireaha Tamaki v. Baker, [1901] A. C.
561, where Wi Parata v. Bishop of Wellington, 3N.Z.J. R. (N. 8.) 8. C. 72;
Reg. v. Symonds, Parl. Pap., December 1847, p. 64, are carefully considered.
Kk?
