The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST 22, 1902. TRUST ESTATES.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 508, 22 August 1902, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST 22, 1902. TRUST ESTATES.

In formation has been received from Wellington that the sale of the native trust estates has been postponed for two years. It is claimed that the arrangement will ho for the advantage of the district, but from past experience people ai*e apt to be somewhat sceptical. It is satisfactory to know that there has been a settlement, but if that settlement only means a repetition of the “ taihoa ” policy the satisfaction will be of short duration. Tho Government has evidently intervened in the matter so far as to prevent the sale, and a special Act is to be passed to enforce tho arrangement made. We are told that all tho lands are to be assigned by Act to tho Maori Land Council, with indefeasiblo titles, subject to mortgages and other claims, tho Maori Council to have power to deal with and manage the lands in the interest of the natives, but the Bank to have control over the working properties till paid in whole or in part, the debt to the Bank since 1895 to be submitted to arbitration. No further actions are to be permitted. The Council is to be "icon a big task, but should certainly be able to do better than is being done by lighting in the law Courts. All "oin" well, the arrangement made will mean a great extension of the policy of Maori landlordism (with the Council as managers) that is being established, How the financing is to be done has not been explained, but we assume that the Government will make the advances required. However, Maori laudlordisru is perhaps preferable to litigation with no finality.