Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, MARCH 7, 1870.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 767, 7 March 1870, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, MARCH 7, 1870.

THE NATIVE MINISTER AND THE NATIVE LANDS ACT. During the debate on the question of internal defence which took place in the House of Representatives on the 3rd August last (reported in "Hansard," p. 204) the Hon. the Native Minister said : In the Province from, which 1 come, more iind has been passed through the Court, probably, ;han in any other part of the Colony. The Natives liave becpme possessed of their Crown Grants, md what is more, they arc becoming divested of ihose grants in a way which I think will require ;onsideratipn on the part of the Legislature. Influences are brought to bear upon Natives which [ think ought not to be exerted. Whenever Natives .are found to have Crpwn Grants in their possession, they are eagerly sought after, until ;hey begin to look upon the obtaining of Crown Srants as a device through which they are to be deprived of their property. I will mention an instance which occurred to an honorable member of :his hcni'v'- -T;<ivii;i. He sold ;i very latfgfv extent

[of country to the Provincial Government of Hawkc'sßay, and, in effecting the purchase, it was' the desire of the Government to secure upon him, jaut of the price he was to receive for his land, a sum of £4,000, which was to be laid out at interest for his benefit, from which he was to receive an annual income. The Government of Hawie's Bay hoped to be able to carry that intention into effect; but influences were brought to bear which resulted in his losing that annual income. I consider that certain amendments ought to bemads in the Native Lands Act which would impose restrictions lor the protection of the property of the Natives. In the sentiments herein expressed we shall expect most of our readeis to concur, but it would seem that a very short time sufficed to effect in the mind of the honorable gentleman a oreat modification of his benevolent projects. A very short narrative, we think, will prove this. The honorable member referred to—-Tareha—with eight other natiyes, (one of them a chief who was killed in action against the rebels in Poverty Bay) under a I Crown Grant issued in or about the ivear 1866, was entitled to a block of land containing about 1,250 situate about 10 miles from Napier, and known a.s Man gatere fere West. Our rea ers will readily recognize the block as one situate near the Big Bush, upon a portion of which the buildings belonging to the Hawke's Bay Boiling-I)own Company have been, erected. A portion of this land (900 acres) was leased by the native owner* in April, 1867, to Mr Alexander M'Lean (brother of the Hon. the Native Minister) and a Mr Williams, for a term of 21 years at a yearly rent of £450; the rent after the first 11 years to rise to £54,0, In July 1868 the beneficial interest in this lease became vested in the Honorable the Native Minister by way of mortgage for securing the sum of £SOO, and further advances to Ihe lessees. On the Ist September last (1869) the Honorable the Native Minister entered into a contract with Tareha, the honorable member before referred to, for the purchase of all the interest of Tareha"and of Kai'auria (killed in action as before mentioned.) The contract expresses to be made for the purchase of " the piece belonging to myself fie , Tareha) and Karaeria, of the land Mangateretere West, our portions in that land, 1.252 acres, more or less." The consideration is expressed to be the sum of £3OO, £SO paid as an instalment, and " when all arrangements Deed of Sale for that land are finished, and the man appointed in Karauria JPupu's place, I will receive the remaining £250 for that land, and Carry out the above arrangement."' This contract, .dated Ist September, 1869, is signed by Tareha, his signature being duly attested by a licensed interpreter, and is registered in the Registry of Deeds. It needs little calculating ability to. see that when this contract is completed by Tareha and " the man appointed in Karauria's place," and the balance of the purchase money paid, the Honorable Minister will have made an excellent bargain. £3OO for two ninths of land let at £450 per annum is about three years" purchase, It should be borne in mind, however, that the rent payable by Messrs M'Lean and Williams rises in 8 years to £540, and that the land leased only includes 900 acres of the 1,252 acres comprised in the contract. The additional 352 acres are at least of equal value per acre to the 900. We repeat that beyond all reasonable doubt the bargain was a good 'one.

We forbear all comment jipon the transaction; hut will hazard one and only one observation upon it: According to our views, however good the bargain, (and undoubtedly it is good,) if there is one man in the Colony who should not have concluded this good bargain with an improvident chief for the purchase of land belonging to him and to the heirs of a brother chief slain in action, that man is the Native Minister,