THE HAWKE’S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, NOV. 7, 1861.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 19, 7 November 1861, Page 3

THE HAWKE’S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, NOV. 7, 1861.

One might reasonably have supposed that the effects of the system of holding runs from the Native owners in defiance of the law, as exemplified in this Province, would have acted as a caution to our neighbours to have avoided a course fraught with such danger—that if a respect for the law as it exists was not sufficient to deter them, they would at least refrain, from a regard for their own welfare, which a slight observance of passing events would have shown was imperilled, by placing themselves under the power and caprice of semi-barbarous landlords, who are unable to agree among themselves as to who is the proprietor of the land leased, so that although a lessee has paid what might he considered a fair rental—or even an extravagant demand—to one landlord, he is still at the mercy of any other who may please to lay a claim to the land, and must submit to have his property driven away to any extent, or, failing this, liable to have one imposition after another thrust upon him by those who are always ready to evade an agreement and increase their demands on the slightest pretext, as the Maories are well known to do. We say one might have thought this was sufficient to have restrained them ; but we find that it is not so, for in Wanganui Chronicle, of the 17th ultimo, we read that Cl the Manawatu block is being rapidly covered with the flocks and herds of stock-owners in the Rangatikei and Wanganui districts.” They are aware, so says the Chronicle, “ that they are running great risk,” and as they are “ only (!) violating a regulation whose legality as well as policy is questionable,” certain privileges and favors are due to them from the Government, such as giving them a pre-emptive right over their homesteads at the Government upset price, and allowing them to remain in peaceful occupancy of the lands after they may come into the hands of the Government until resold, and not turning them off without due notice; in other words, not content with escaping the penalties of law-breaking, they demand a reward for it, and that a premium he offered by Government to those who are hold enough to despise its enactments.

In truth it is time something was done to settle this much-vexed question, and we do hope that the memorial recently adopted by the meeting at Puketapu will shew the urgent need of a prompt and effectual interferon the part of the Government. We notice that our contemporary takes exception to the meeting on the ground that it was held under the auspices of an official of the Provincial Government, as though the holding of such office deprived an individual of his rights as a colonist. It was, doubtless, as a settler having interests in common with all, and not as a public officer, that that gentleman took part in the proceedings, and we cannot perceive that his public duties can in any manner deprive such a one of the right to do so.

It is to be hoped that all the evils resulting from the illegal use of unalienated Native land will be speedily brought to a close —that a plan may be devised by Sir George Grey, or the collective wisdom of his advisers, which will effectually assert and sustain the majesty of the lav. 7 against all its violators, Natives or settlers, who seem to suppose that because of the impunity they now enjoy, they will altogether escape from the penalties of their folly. It has been well observed that “ Hope deferred maketh the heart sick/’ and surely its truth is well exemplified among us now. Mail after mail

arrives from the seat of Government, but fails to bring satisfactory intelligence of the future policy of the Governor. Meantime, we are daily in danger of an outbreak here, should measures for its prevention he delayed. We do not fear the ability of His Excellency to cope with all the difficulties of his position, and heartily trust to speedily have the welcome news of his success.