The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 1907.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1987, 24 January 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 1907.

“After many years” is a poetical phrase, expansive and comprehensive, and one that would fittingly form the headline of many a romantic story; but no more fitting romance could be woven under it than one fouiidel upon fact and treating of the history of native land legislation. Without exaggerating the facts one bit there could be entwined into that romance an anvount of pathos, adventure, love (not necessarily of one of the opposite sex; but, say, of a few dollars or a few acres), bathos, chicanery, 1-jolery, double dealing, and all the other thrilling things that go to make up the value of a first-ch.s's hair-raising yellowback, and that wculd " satisfy ibe most eager sensationalist. But the. hero of the story could only be jcliosen from a very few Parliamentarian? who have persistently urged -a cessation of misgovernmmt, and the Native Minister would figure ill « very minor part under his familiar pseudonym of “Taihoa.” The story, ■of course, could not be completed until 1909, because it is not till then that the last chapter can be written so as to include tile final stages of the theme supplied by Royal Commission. Whether the book would leave the impression of satisfaction upon tin rr.incl of the reader is somewhat doubtful, because of the preponderating amount of unsatisfactory detail with which the author would have to deal, and no phase of it would be more unsatisfactory from the hero’s p.ciut of view than the little part allotted to “Taihoa,” because in all realistic diamas the man who stands idly by and takes no notice while wrongs, or a series of them, are being committed is regarded to fo as culpable as the participants themselves. In this case the urongs are -being, committed, and have been committed, upon Natives and Europeans alike in connection with native lards; and

* Tniltoa" has played his part to the letter and earned his lille; hut at, last > “after many years” tlioro is a , gleam of liopo that tho dismal story of , inaction and all the other details of j miserable ineptitude will cihninuto in something that may ho called a nativo policy. That little gleam Hickorcd over tho inevitable champagne glass at Dunedin on Friday last Then tho Premier announced the appointment of a Royal Commission to formulate a nativo policy lor tho Government, and it will ctontinuo to flicker until the name of tho third Royal Commission is announced, when, perchance it will cease to illnmino the dark recesses of chronic despondency any longer, and give place to tho deep, gloomy cloud of ‘‘Taihoa” once more. And let us fell you why. Tho Premier has given the names if c illy two Commissioners flmt have been appointed. Tho name of Sir Robert Stout as Chairman cannot fail to . give satisfaction, notwithstanding the fact that some years ago when a politician he got the credit o! having coined the phrase “unearned increment” in expressing his views upon tho land question, for, at any iate, flic colony can depend upon him to put some energy into the business, and to Jo the work honest 1 ,) lie will not dawdle about ;nd hang up matters while there is wrik to be done, and he has a know ledge of unlive land laws as they exist, which few others possess; hence his appointment to the controlling position on the Commission cannot he other than satisfactory The other appointee represents the Alaori race, and it.is hut right that they should be repi esento 1 upon a Commission that is to make vital changes in a matter that so closely coneenu. them. But the third Commissioner has not yet been appointed, jit least so wo aic- told by the Premier, and Ibis is a hero the shoe pinches. We want a man who like the Chief Justice, a ill put some energy into the woik, and vho a-ill not drag tilings along for the sake, of tlie emoluments of office--a man alio, like the Chief Justice also, is competent to diseliaigo the duties of so important; an office with fairness and unbiassed predelietions, but will such a man he appointed? Listen. A feu- weeks ago the Premier spoke at Napier on this sante question when ho a as on his any to Gisborne, but did not come for obvious reasons, and he said that a Commission would ho appointed, end he said also that his honorable colleague the honorable Janies Carroll would (or should, or ought to he) a member of that Commission (a-e forget which word he used, but it makes no difference.) Therefore, wo may safely take it .for granted that the third Commissioner will ho the honorable James Carroll, who lias spent years ostensibly trying to formulate a nativo policy, and lias succeeded in making tho most miserable failure of it. Imagine then a Commission on Affairs coilsisting of two Alaoris and one Euro- ] oiin, with one rote each, and say whether tho flicker will not be extinguished alien the third name is announced. But ally does the Premier hesitate to name tho third? “On my return to Wellington,” he tells us “the question of the appointment of an additional member is to be considered.” But if u-o are to believo the Premier himself the appointment has been already considered, and decided, practically, and, again, u-o ask why does he hesitate to name him? Let us offer a suggestion. That statement of the Premier’s has gone abroad, and the Premier lias most probably feund triat the appointment. of the honorable James , Can oil would not go down even with the members who know him, and so the Cabinet hesitates, and llio little glimmer will continue to flicker until the Cabinet’s decision is finally known. Then it will cither flare up a little or become' excinguisbt-:! nhogeiiaer.