The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1891. Waste of Land

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 15, 4 August 1891, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1891. Waste of Land

The reply to Mr Wilson (od behalf of Mr Macarthur), who asked the Minister of Lands if be had given permission to a party of Maoris to select a block of land of 4000 acres in t,he Coal Creek district, was made by Mr Cadtnan, the Native Minister. He said he had given permission to the natives to inspect the land in question, and as there were ftix-hundred landless Maoris in that district he thought no one should object to settling Maoris there. He would place them on the land under clause 50 of the Native Land Act he was introducing. He had given instructions to the Crown Lands Office to slop the sale of any portion of it to Europeans, in order that the Maoris may make their selection. These are the bald and naked facts of the case. After the settlers having spent enormous sums of money in making roads towards this splendid laud, which may be called the eyes of the district, ii is to be thrown away on " landless " Maoris. Why the Native Minister could not have sent tbese colored paupers on to lands adjoining ibe settlements of, their fellow oouuirycnea we are at a loss to know. As neighbors to Europeau small farmers ibe Maories are moat objeetiouable. As a rule their settlemeuts are over run with scores of pigs, which break through fences and root up cultivated grounds, without there beiug the slightest chance of any red) ess being ohiaiued. Their dogs are madtedess, acid play sad havoc arnon^ those Houks and herds which iliey huvtf ready access to by proximity. Toe oaly course open is for r.he 9fcs tiers r o at once meet together ami thaw up a pealiou 10 the Minister ask'ng him to undo this wondrous act of M>ji!*'i<-e to people who have paid o-ood money for tneirland,andmacleif- owe valuable *>y their industry. Mr Macari luir will b» well euough, we are happy to say, io take his seat in the House again, tiexb week, when he inteuds to inke action in tbe matter, but he would nave his hands mucb. strengthened 'rf he were supported by the co-operation of chose whose land is iQimedinte danger of losing half its money value, 'ibeii is no time to be lost, and we hope iluiu a movement in the dnec;iou w^ Jiav^ indicated will be made at ouch, ami before the natives are too fii mly established to be removed without difficulties or complical.ious.