NATIVE FIDELITY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 49, 5 June 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

NATIVE FIDELITY.

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay T'\ mt.s. Sir, — It is too late to argue the impolicy of leasing laml from the natives, seeing that half the settlers in this Province have either engaged in leasing on their own account, or tacitly consented to leasing on the part of their neighbours; were it otherwise, the semi-official report of the proceedings of Mr. McLean lately, as published in the Herald of the 17th instant, might be worthy the serious attention of the settlers in this island ; as the account in question illustrates the character of Maori tenancy on the one hand, and that honourable adherence to their contracts of which the public have heard so much on the other. Take for example the first case narrated in the Herald referred to, that ot Mr. Northwood's homestead. We are told that Mr. Northwood occupied the run some time before the Crown acquired the land in the neighbourhood ; i.e., that lie occupied Maori laud in defiance of the law, the Government of the day being either too weak, too indolent, or too corrupt to enforce the statute law of the colony. How many hundreds, or thousands, of pounds difference this occupation made in the price of the blocks purchased in this Province it is not easy to calculate, but no one will deny it must have made a considerable difference against the Government, or more properly, against the public treasury. If this had been all, the public needed not to be informed of the transaction at all; but, there was a hitch that caused some annoyance, in the fact that our “ simple-minded and innocent brethren,’’ in selling the adjacent land, took a notion to reserve the site of Mr. Northwood’s homestead, as if the pakeha’s house, stockyards, and woolshed could have strengthened their attachment to the piece of land occupied. Had this been all, the matter might have rested, as the chief sufferer would have been the individual who was first at fault, to whom the loss of buildings and fences would have been only a fair retribution for breaking the law of his country. It appears, however, that after this

Mr. N. bought the site of his homestead from the natives (another breach of law), and somehow or other got the Government involved in the question, although in strict justice the Government were no way bound to help him out of the scrape into which he had got by acting illegally. The next phase of the question is an attempt on the part of the natives to repudiate their bargain, (and at that business their adroitness is remarkable,) and an attempt to extend their original reserve by a large addition. Of this part of the business the Herald gives us a hint, leaving us to guess at its full meaning. We are told of it, that it threatened serious consequences ; which, if it means anything, must mean that the Maories have threatened to resume possession of the land in question by the strong arm. However, we are told that the case is settled, as all such cases are settled, by a payment of gold, and a receipt in full of all demands is given in return ; but some trifling reserves are still withheld, which means that a second (or third, as the case may be) payment has been made for some of the land in question, and a receipt taken that can be again repudiated when our honest friends think fit to claim another price. Old Hapuku figures in this case, and the Herald intimates that he and the others have “ taken advantage of our position to extort iroin us more than in strict justice they were entitled to.” Well, this is plain speaking, but it is as well to tell the miked truth sometimes. There can be no doubt about the matter, it is simple extortion ; but Hapuku is not so much at fault after all. He has been friendly to the Government, and has rendered valuable aid to the Commissioner in purchasing territory. No doubt he has been well paid ; but meanwhile those who have opposed the Government, and done their utmost to prevent alienation of land to the Crown ; who have not only sympathised in words with the King party and the rebels at . aranaki, but have assisted with money (and in all probability with ammunition); who have plotted against the colonists as a body, and have sought to form an alliance for the express purpose of driving us into the sea ; are honoured with viceregal messages, rewarded with gold in prolusion, and promised the requisite legal sanction to authorise them to deal with the pakeha as their subject ; so that the cunning old chief sees that quietness and friendship are only trifled with, but opposition and annoyance are well rewarded. No wonder lie tries the game that so plainly “ pays Le.-t." The other case referred to in the Herald is the “ Puketitiri,” where we are informed the natives have a reserve of live hundred acres, and on the strength of that, and some vague right of snaring birds, they claim a bush of five or six thousand acres. Verily this reserve has grown wonderfully in their imagination since the sale to the Crown ! We may expect, to hear of their claiming a broad belt of open land round the bush next; and of their exacting a toll “ from every pakeha that passes through it” in due time. We are told that “ on one excuse or another” they decline to accompany the surveyor to mark off the reserve. No wonder ! The longer they stand out, the more guineas will be offered, so that their interest is evidently not to settle the case yet awhile. Besides, their consenting to adopt the “ sovereign policy” of the Governor, and the pakeha’s cash, is supposed to hinge on the settling of all old land disputes, and as they are not decided on that course they would need some other grievance as an excuse were the Puketitiri question laid at rest; so it is perhaps better for both parties that it remains in abeyance, until it is seen what course the Waikato and their confederates will adopt. Or if it is unavoidable, it may be settled “Pukctapu fashion’; a Court may be constituted of two or three of the principal claimants, assisted by an equal number of paid public officers ; the Chief Commissioner plead the right of the Crown under the Deed of Session, and the native respondents may have the assistance of the “ Provincial Solicitor” and “Crown Prosecutor” ; the Court, i.e., the native claimants, may then decide what amount of gold they will accept to allow the land to be possessed by the Crown, or whether a leg or a wing only of the “bird” shall so pass out of their snare ; the European portion of the Court can then add their signatures to the award, so as to give it an appearance of justice and legality ; the Chief Commissioner with his bag of sovereigns, and his staff surveyor with chain and compass, can then complete the transaction ; and the next time the Ahuririans hear of it will be when the financial accounts between the General Government and the Province are brought under the notice of the Superintendent, or more effectually, when the revenues of the Province are impounded by tin; Gene-

ral Government. Yours, &c., A Saxon, Heretaunga, 24th May, 1862.