THE PURCHASE OF WAITATUMA AND THE PAYMENTS THEREFOR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1277, 4 November 1911, Page 13

THE PURCHASE OF WAITATUMA AND THE PAYMENTS THEREFOR.

Sir,—As one of tho late owners of tho Waitatuma Block just purchased by tho Government. I wish to call your attention to tho manner in which tho part payments for the said land havo been paid (or not paid) to the several owners. Ihe Government have a law for the protection of tho Natives, in the matter of dealings with their lands that is good, but on the date—the 27th of this monthcm which theso partial payments wero to be made, I, as representing my brothers and sister and 33 other owners, being Natives in that block, witnessed tho following: While Natives, pure afid simple, were paid on the word of an interpreter, aud another Maori, my brothers and sister, who have lived as Europeans all their lives, wero closely examined, and neither their, nor my word was taken as to their bona fides. I and they would bo perfectly satisfied if we hnil been treated in accordance with tho law, mado in tho interests of the Natives if no distinction had been made in the manner of carrying out that law, Note the following! My sister, although having a large business in Petono, did not receive any money because, forsooth, she did not own freehold, while my brother Harry, who is blind, owns two acres freehold with house and orchard, must, to satisfy the law, produce the title deeds of the said property, at great inconvenience. Contrast this with the way in which tho Natives pure and simple were treated, I wish to attach no blame tQ the clerk of tho board; ho, of course, had to do as ho was directed.;—l am. etc., W. WORKMAN. Greytown, October 00.