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Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 563, 30 October 1871, Page 1 (Supplement)

[from the "thamks advertiser."]

Frobibly most people in this province, when they meet with anything in a newspaper about the^case of Mohi v. Craig, at ■ ■nee pass to something else ; and this is certainly not to bi> won leivd at, seeing that the case his bee.i before the public for so long a time that everyone is weary of if., !in.l that it his become so uomplicated that it is exceedingly difficult to fallow through nil its windings. It is pretty certain now that th> case has issued in the loss, and probably ruin, of the party who has had equity on his side. This is not an infrequent result of liti gabions in any country, and of ils'lf would probably not attract much public notice or sympathy. rut in this ease, the evil has been caused by the positive enactments of the law, under which natives may do what a European cannot. JNot that in such cases natives get any advantage; there is always a European behind. In the present ease, \lr. Craig purchased land, and leased several kauri forests at Whangapout, on this peninsula, nearly opposite Corouvindel, before the pissing of t!ie Native Lands Act. Thousands of pounds were spent in building, cutting timber, &c, but now vlr. Craig finds himself ruined by legal expenses, deprived of his property, and supplanted by the Messrs. Harris. To go into a detailed statement of the circumstances would b'i tedious, but we may show how men who have; ha I tlie whole facts fairly laid before them think on this matter, by giving the following sentence* from a .statement signed by the whole ol the sp 'cial jurors who tried the last of the long series of actions. These gentlemen in their written declaration said :—

That lii-itig satisfied, therefore, tint tho law has in this ease been made the instrument of jpoilaiiou and oppression whii'.h shocks every sentiment of natural justice we should b»: highly gratified if the Legislature would deviso an I ear ry into effdot a m -asure calculated to ri'iKiir such an intolerable wrong.

This is the practical question. From the changes tli'it haw been ma le in tlie law, we should think it unlikely that a parallel case to that of Mr. Craig can occur again. Surely, however, it lies with a co-man nity to see that equity is not outrag d without compensation being given t > the suffering party. And the only way in which this can be done is by the Assembly appointing a comm tteo to investigate into the whole circumstances, and with power to award such compensation as they shall deem suitable.