LEASING THE PLAINS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 5, Issue 274, 5 June 1865, Page 2

LEASING THE PLAINS.

[communicated.] , Leasing the plains, whether illegal or not, is fast becoming so common that soon there will be none to lease. In some instances the lessees have again leased, they finding it a -paying specnlaton to lease large blocks and, not to stock them, but re-let them in smaller runs at no doubt a very profitable rent. This is certainly a new spec of the big bugs of Napier, for without any outlay of capital or risk of any sort whatever they can lock up what would make this province not second to any in the colony. This winked-;, t suicidal leasing has become such an acknowledged fact that it has become law, and not all the machinery of Government, if at some future time we should be blessed with an honest Government, will be able to effect a repeal of what is closing the fertile plains, that could be homes of thousands of honest yeomanry, the bulwarks of a colony, and will cause at some future time more than chancery entang’eraents. There is little doubt that if the ruling powers of. this province had shown as much energy in the purchase or long lease as they have shown in their own selfish greed, the whole of the

lower plains would ere this have become the property of the Crowu. and the happy homes of thousands. There are, however yet two chances of this being the case. The first, - that of the known chaiacter of the maori for shuffling and bond breaking, which the Government would be quite justified in using to forward the interests of the true settlers. The other more sure cause will be found in the rapid extinction of the aborigines of this country, and unless active action be taken en the part of the Government, even this cause will act against the interests of the people aud in favor of the squatter, for the illegal squatters think they have a chance perhaps of becoming the freeholder of their run. Even if that should not be the case they will be able to claim heavy com pensation for improvements; and being in actual possession of the laud they can well laugh at the farcical Government of this country that allowed them to get so far to windward of them, and to have in the prospective fat claims for improvements, and perhaps the never to be disturbed possession of their ill-gotten lands. This is what it will come to, for possession is one thing and ejectment another, and we all know it is easier to defend than to attack, and it is hardly likely that the squatting members of the Provincial Council will attack themselves. K. G. H.