The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 1885. The Native Minister

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 78, 10 December 1885, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 1885. The Native Minister

The appointment of Major Soannell to be a judge of the Native Lands Court is a most excellent one. This gentleman has an intimate knowledge of most of the tribes and hapus in the interior of the North Island. He has had a vast experience of the natives, whether fighting side by side with them as allies or by meeting them as enemies in the field of battle. In his capacity of Besident Magistrate at Taupo he has exhibited judicial qualities and abilities which have brought him prominently under the notice of the Native Minister who has selected him as one eminently fitted for the honorable post to which he has now been elevated. Having in view the desirableness of acquiring the Native Lands on either side of v the Northern Trunk Bailway, in such a manner that no future tribal difficulties may arise from any present mode of such acquisition, Mr Ballance has secured in Major Scawnell the services of one who will afford most valuable aid towards that end. Our contemporary, the Ppst, says : — "It is the fashion fn certain quarters to blame the Native Minister for not acquiring land for settlement along the line of the North Island Trunk Bailway. Now everyone at all acquainted with the native land proceedings of the past must know how entirely unsatisfactory all attempts to acquire lands before they have passed through the Court have proved. The present Government is wise in its dealings in this respect. It requires the title to be the first definitely ascertained before it makes any move to purchase. Once the title is ascertained, and the land passed through the Court, there is never any difficulty experienced by the Crown in purchasing it. Mr Ballance is directing his efforts to getting the land through the Court, knowing well that he can then purchase what he wants, and his efforts are being attended with remarkable success. The Native Lands Courts are pretty full of work, and within the next few months many large and valuable blocks will be passed through them, and the way be open for the Crown to negotiate with the owners to acquire the land. Probably by the time Parliament meets Mr Ballance will be able to show that he has not, as his enemies love to assume, been at all indifferent to the acquisition of native land for settlement purposes, but has, on the con- ! trary, steadily ahd wisely pursued the i best possible means of acquiring such land, and attained remarkable success in his well-directed efforts." One great point in connection with the above is that the natives have a firm and abiding faith in the courage and strict impartiality of the new judge.' The want of this feeling in the past, with the dread that the whole of their lands would be swallowed up by Maori Doctors and others of that ilk, has inspired the natives with a not undeserved feeling of distrust of tiie Native Lands Courts and their surroundings. Bitter experience has taught this to the Native / Minister and he is now making it his duty to remove that distrust by the best means in his -power.