CORRESPONDENCE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 224, 12 January 1910, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor,

Sir, —With reference to the postponement of the Native Land Court sitting at Te Kuiti, referred to in your last issue, I should ilke to make a few remarks. The action is thoroughly in keeping with the attitude of the Government in respect to the Native Land Court business. Acts have been passed from time to time by Parliament for the ostensible purpose of simplifying procedure and hastening the settlement of the whole Native land question. It is well known that an enormous amount of business in connection with Native lands is awaiting Court sittings. Maoris and Europeans are equally concerned and the settlement of the district is being kept back in a manner which is injurious to all. Wo have seen that the Government's policy is one of retrenchment, and thenumbor of judges connected with the Native Department has been decreased. This is hard to understand in face of the fact that it would take the full complement of judges all their time to got through the work at present on hand. It is rumoured that one reason why the Department is not anxious to open a Court at Te Kuiti is that there is so much work in sight that they aro afraid to tackle it. In view of such a state of things, the cutting down of the judges seems hard to understand. It is unnecessary for mo to point out, sir, how such matters affect the country at large. Settlement is of the greatest importance to the country, and every day lost is serious. It is high time this matter was taken up in earnest, as our district is being held back in consequence of Government or Departmental inactivity.— I am, etc., SUFFERER.