▁four ▁seats ▁were ▁a ▁fairly ▁mod est ▁con cess ion ▁on ▁per ▁cap ita ▁basis ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁Many ▁conserv ative ▁MP s , ▁most ▁of ▁whom ▁considered ▁M ā ori ▁" un fit " ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁government , ▁opposed ▁M ā ori ▁representation ▁in ▁Parliament , ▁while ▁some ▁MP s ▁from ▁the ▁other ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁spectrum ▁( such ▁as ▁James ▁Fitz G er ald , ▁who ▁had ▁proposed ▁alloc ating ▁a ▁third ▁of ▁Parliament ▁to ▁M ā ori ) ▁regarded ▁the ▁con cess ions ▁given ▁to ▁M ā ori ▁as ▁ins u fficient . ▁In ▁the ▁end ▁the ▁setting ▁up ▁of ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁separate ▁from ▁existing ▁elect or ates ▁ass u aged ▁conserv ative ▁opposition ▁to ▁the ▁bill ▁– ▁conserv atives ▁had ▁previously ▁fe ared ▁that ▁M ā ori ▁would ▁gain ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁vote ▁in ▁general ▁elect or ates , ▁thereby ▁forcing ▁all ▁MP s ▁( r ather ▁than ▁just ▁four ▁M ā ori ▁MP s ) ▁to ▁take ▁notice ▁of ▁M ā ori ▁opinion . ▁ ▁Before ▁this ▁law ▁came ▁into ▁effect , ▁no ▁direct ▁prohib ition ▁on ▁M ā ori ▁voting ▁existed , ▁but ▁other ▁indirect ▁prohib itions ▁made ▁it ▁extremely ▁difficult ▁for ▁M ā ori ▁to ▁exercise ▁their ▁theoretical ▁elect oral ▁rights . ▁The ▁most ▁significant ▁problem ▁involved ▁the ▁property ▁qual ification ▁– ▁to ▁vote , ▁one ▁needed ▁to ▁possess ▁a ▁certain ▁value ▁of ▁land . ▁M ā ori ▁owned ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁of ▁land , ▁but ▁they ▁held