The Daily Telegraph. SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3036, 19 March 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1881.

Very recently some State papers have been published with respect to the Patetere block, of which Mr Sutton 3(>oke so much when he last addressed the electors. On the 15th of November last a i.ublic meeting was held at the Thames, the result of which wae a memorial to Hia Excellency the Governor, praying that the proclamation in force over the Patetere block might be maintained. The effect of the proclamation, we may mention for the information of some of our readers, was to prevent any but the Government dealing for the purchase of ihe land from the natives. Prior to the meeting at the Thames t l c Government, through the Hon. Mr Bryce, the Native Minister, had announced their intention to withdraw from the active pursuit of purchasing land from the natives. Mr Bryce had come to that conclusion by reason of the knowledge he had acquired as head of the Native Department that the system of land purchase from the Maoris had opened the gates to a perfect flood of jobbery, extravagance, and injustice. Mr Sutton, in his speech, illustrated to some extent the manner in which the system was carried out: any vouchers of expenditure of which the Audit Department would be doubtful of passing was put down as so much cash paid on account of advances towards the purchase of some bK'ck or another. And, as Mr Sutton said, thousands of pounds were thus credited to the purchase of Patetere, of which the native owners never received one penny. The disclosures which Mr Bryce, Colonel Trimble, and others made in Parliament with respect to the system fully justified the Government in the coarse they had chosen to follow, and which eeeured for it the thorough approbation of every honest man in the country. We do not know in what way the people at the Thames were interested in the maintenance of the proclamation over Patetere, but the announcement of its withdrawal created sufßciept excitement to cause a public meeting—of how many persona we have not learned—and a memorial to the Governor on the subject. This memorial was. forwarded to Sir George Grey for presentation, who, in transmitting it through the Colonial Secretary, addressed a letter to the Governor, in which the following passage occurs :-—'• I believe that it is generally felt that the removal of the proclamation from the block, during the recess would be a great misfortune to the country, for then it is thought, owing to circumstances i which have taken place, that a vast block of land of great value would probably fill into the hands of private persons, whilst the rest of the inhabitants of New Zealand, who have obeyed the law, by not attempting to purchase this land whilst a proclamation was over it, would suffer great injustice. The natives also would suffer a serious wrong, by not having an opportunity of selling their lands in the open market. In conclusion, I would venture to add that the falling of this block of land ioto the hands of a few private persons will greatly impede the " settlement of the country on principles which take into consideration the interests and rights of the whole of the Queen's subjects." In reply to this letter the following was sent by the Hon. Mr Dick:—"Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 9th February, 1881.—Sir.—Adverting to my letter of the 7th ultimo, in which I had the honor to inform you that your letter of the Bth December last, with the ac coropaaying memorial, signed by Messrs McGowan, McCullough, and Kilgour on behalf of a public meeting held at Grahamstown on the 15th of November last had been laid before the Governor I have now to inform you that His Excellency has referred the memorial to his responsible advisers, by whose advice he has directed that the following reply should be sent through you to the memorialists:—lt is the declared policy of the present Ministry to withdraw as far as possible from the purchase by the Government of lands owned by aboriginal natives ; and in pursuance of that policy tbey consider it inexpedient to proceed with the negotiations which had been commenced for the purchase of the Patetere and many other blocks of such native lands. A. notice was accordingly published early in November last in the Gazette and in several newspapers that application would be made to the Native Land Court to assign to the Crown an area of land proportionate to the advances of money which have been made by the Government, and that on this being done, it would be open to the natives to dispose of the remainder of the block, in the manner authorised by law, to any person whom they may choose. This notice wasigievn more than two months ago, and there can be uo ground for asRuming that the general public is unaware of the period at which the Patetere block will be free from existing restrictions. His Excellency's advisers have no doubt that in adopting the course above indicated they have acted in the true interest of the whole of the Queen's subjects in New Zealand.—l have, etc., Thomas Dick.—Sir George Grey, X.C.8., M.H.R., Kawau, Auckland. Since this correspondence took place we have learned that at the Native Lands Court's sitting at Cambridge the Government was awarded a certain share of the Patetere block in consideration of the money advanced upon it; that the natives objecting to the sale were given another portion, and that the balance was left for the Maori owners to do what they pleased with. Nothing could be fairer, and we do not see where "the interests and rights of the whole of the Queen's subjects " were interfered with.

Messrs Kennedy and GHllman hold a fruit and produce sale on Tuesday next.