Sentence:  This important question of the acquisition of Native lands has been treated as a perfect shuttlecock in the hands of the Government. ... So far as we know, it has not even been circulated amongst the Natives, so that it would be a monstrous thing to pass it into law this session. This question will therefore be necessarily <WSD>shunted</WSD>—the one question that is admitted to be of supreme importance to the Colony of New Zealand. Then, the question of the Native Land Courts is another of those which have been <WSD>shunted</WSD>. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To divert to a less important place, position, or state.