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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume III, Issue 3, 31 March 1857, Page 3

We purpose, at an early period, to draw the attention of our Maori readers to the Land Question We believe it is generally admitted that the mode in which the Maories hold their ha is—with vague, ill-defined titles—is a bad one. UraJcr it, the land hj, and ever has been, a fertile source of discord. Disputes about lan i are perpetually taking place among themselves, and more than once it has threatened the hanrony subsisling be;ween themselves and the Europeans,—a harmony which we trust may be maintained as long as any distinction of race exists in this country. It is a saying frequently repealed by the old men, there are two causes which v**iil inevitably bring a man into trouble women and laud. Nor is this a new thing. It has always been so. From time immemorial, quarrels about land have been continual !y occurring, arming tribe against tribe, family ag tinst family, brother against brother, and causing more blood to be spill than all the lan J in New Zealand is worth. See how many lires have been sacrificed in the feud at Tnranaki! Look again at Tuiupahoro. where the N : Mitni an I Te vV!>;;na:; o An.juni tribes are siill fighting

and killing each other, because thev cannot' agree about the right to a tract of land ; an J ! still nearer to Auckland, the recent affair at! Tauranga, which, we regret to hear, has! already cost two lives. | Now in these qnarrels each parly thinks I itself right; each believes its claim to the 1 land in dispute to be just. Does not this! show that there is something wrong ?n the j Maori system of holding land ? We liiFnk our' Maori friends will admit that it does. They ! see that their pakelia neighbours have no | such disputes about titles to land. Even ! should a difference arise, it is easily settled I by an appeal to a court of law, where it is i quickly seen which of the claimants is the I rightful owner. Is this not a better way of! trying a doubtful claim than shooting each: other, to say nothing of the waste of' time, labour, and food which these feuds ! about land involve. \ Now the question is, can the Maories I adopt a belter system with respect to hold j ing land? Can any system be discovered I by themselves, or shown them by their! European friends, by which they may hold ' land free of a constant liability to become involved in quarrels about ft? It is a question worthy the attention of the thoughtful men among the Maori people. At present their land, instead of being a source of' wealth and prosperity, is only a snare and a ! hindrance to their civilization. Instead of a blessing, it is a curse to its possessors, wh« ! too often, instead of obeying the Divine can- \ mand to subdue it and to compel it to vield bread to strengthen man's heart, are seeVm-' to subdue and kill each other, and to cl£ '' rainish the number of those hands which should be engaged in cultivating it. Do the ■ Maories think that this beautiful country is ! intended by God to remain as at present, an uncultivated waste, ouJy to produce fern! and furnish occasions of "strife and bloodshed among its inhabitants? Suieiy not. Our space does not admit of pursuing the subject, but we shall resume it aian°earlv opportunity. J