A VOICE FROM THE BACKBLOCKS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1216, 26 August 1911, Page 10

A VOICE FROM THE BACKBLOCKS.

Sir,—The following is a true case about the imbecile laws relating to Native laud. Au Otago farmer leased a section from a Native. The lease was duly signed, stamped, and witnessed; rent was paid on duo date. This former was told lo leave Native land, alone, but ho wanted to secure sonic. Now the owner of the above section got the rent; the fanner paid the usual sueak-thief-fces about the cost of fencing the area. He was told one day tho owner had re-leased to a Native," to get more rent. The farmer did not put his lease before the Nativo or Maori Council or Board. The cost of leasing of Nativo land amounts to the cost of fencing, somotimes moro. Barouer Sir Joseph G. Ward, Prime Minister, and Sir Joines Carroll have been repeatedly asked by farmers to get the present imbccilo system of Native Land Courts and Council's eliminated, and all Natives given their Crown grants, to put white and brown on an equal legal standing, and let them have a fair deal. If the Government buy an area from (he Natives, papakaingas don't trouble them. If a farmer even leases a small area, a piece is left waste. Ho can neither lease nor buy it, although Iho Natives wish to dispose of it. It lies a waste, unproductive; grows weeds that spread on to tilled land. Tho present Native land laws find employment for a lot of people who are ■.paid'indirectly by the Natives and farm-

ers. Wo w-ho have gono out bock among the Natives, know what we and tlic Natives want, and at next election all the letters written and rec?ived to and from the Government will be read. If a settler writes to a Department lie is referred to another, and so on ad infinitum. \Vs get no satisfaction, cost of living increases with the National Debt. As soon as we can sell a lot of lis are off to the Cape, Patagonia, -Argentina and Australia. Aro we to continue being ruled by people who have, no stake- in New Zealand, and who can roll up "bluey" and cross the seas when New Zealand is too dear to live iu? I am, etc., BACKBLOC'K SETTLER,