LATEST SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1685, 13 July 1875, Page 3

LATEST SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

NAPIER.

(From our own Correspondent.) This day. Dispute Relative to Trust Reserves. A singular enquiry has cropped up. Major Heaphy, in his report on native reserves of Hawke's Bay, 1871, class Al Trusts, with Boecified objects, includes one Napier town reserve of 4J acres in extent being held in trust for emigrant barracks, the Native Hostelry Lands beina diverted to a gaol and lighthouse reserve. Our repudiation party asked the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Napier, for liberty to inspect Crown grant 1255. The Commissioner refused, unless the Superintendent gave a written order for the production. Jhe Superintendent being advised of the application, consulted the Provincial Solicitor, who advised that the inspection could not be disallowed. The Superintendent refused permission to inspect the grant. Mr, Sheehan will move that a copy be laid on the table of the House of .Representatives. Another Land Claim. Another*land claim has cropped up to the surface. The Maoris are entitled, by deeds of sale, to four acres at the Spit on reclaimed land. The claim is going to be maintained. Mr. A. Whitaker. Mr. A. Whitaker, son of Mr. Whitaker, o f Auckland, made his maiden appearance in the Resident Magistrate's Court on Saturday, and won his first case. The Herald pats him on the back for his courtesy and success. New Maori Paper. The Telegraph last evening says, anent .the establishing of the Wananga in Napier : — "It means that what Europeans of one time regarded as a toy, a plaything to be thrown aside when the novelty had worn away, is to be established on a permanent basis. It means that the Maoris of this province have advanced in civilisation so far as to recognise the power of the Press as a means ; that power is to be employed to further the especial interest of the native race. Unlike the Walca Maori, the new journal, is to have a thoroughly political character, and there can be no doubt one of its aims will be to secure the natives a power in the State ; that alone can be acquired through the individualisation of their titles to land "by which they can obtain the privileges of the franchife, the establishment of £uch an organ by Maoris marks an era in their progress from barbarism, and shows more than anything else the influence European settlement has been silently exerting since the close of the war. It says much for the intelligence of the Maories that Jbey have resolved no longer to resist tie invincible law in operation, which through all time the ends of the earth have been peopled ; they have learned that however much they might retard, they could never hope to avert the final and complete settlement of their country by strangers. This lesson has not altogether been taught them by the military prowess of Europeans. Circulating among such, a race, its columns will be largely read. In every native village the Wananga promises to be a most powerful engine for good or evil; a very heavy responsibility rests on the conductors, a great noble task to undertake, and now the Maori proprietors of the Wananga have reBolved to place the conduct of their journal in the hands of Europeans, it is much to be hoped the labour will be performed with the ■wisdom and moderation which the mighty . influence it should exert demands."