THE NATIVE LANDS BILL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5110, 9 August 1877, Page 2

THE NATIVE LANDS BILL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir,— l happened to be; at the House last evening, -and heard the debate upon the Native Lands Bill. It struck me the Opposition made it rather warm, for the Government, and I thought it rather served them right; but what appeared the most remarkable feature in the debate was the truly Christian spirit displayed by the Government. .“If thine enemy (Stout) smite thee on one cheek, turn .to him (Rees) the other also.” Very good, and quite proper. If the Government are not tea proud to accept a suggestion from ah outsider, one of the “ oldest inhabitants," I may show them a way out of this difficulty. Mr. Bunny’s suggestion was not a bad one—that the natives should hand their land over to the Government for them to sell oh behalf of the natives. ' This is all very well; but the natives, I am sure, would never consent to hand their land over to Government. They have had enough of the old “Tari” and that sort or thing; besides, the Government being entitled to a percentage on the proceeds makes the Government a kind of partner with the natives. This alone should be -fatal to Mr. Bunny’s proposal I would suggest to the Government that they should act in-a straightforward manner in this matter. Let them withdraw their Bill, and admit themselves in the wrong, then bring down a new Bill altogether, some short and simple measure empowering the natives- in the different parts of the island to hand their land over -to trustees, men possessing alike the confidence of the Government, the natives, and the settlers; such trustees—say three in each district—to be appointed subject to the approval of the Native Minister. The Government might appoint one or more of the three trustees from time to time themselves. This would make the title very simple. The trustees to be empowered to surrey the lands, — Government advancing the necessary funds, — to transfer the . portions they may wish to retain to the different individual natives, and to sell the remainder by public auction, with deferred payment or otherwise; the Government to receive a percentage upon all land sold. The plans of any .lands to be sold to be open to public inspection at some public office, and all transactions in connection with the disposal of the lands to be subject to the approval of the Native Minister or some officer of the Government in the district, and to be conducted in the most public manner. .The trustees to have full power to deal with the land as any European would deal with a block of land he might wish to dispose of. Any defalcation on the part of any trustee to be made good by the Government, to meet which a special charge should be made upon all lands sold. Some simple measure of this land would, I believe, give great satisfaction to the natives. They Would each receive a grant for any portion they might wish to retain, and it would be a guarantee to all that each would receive his or her fair share of the money arising from the land sold. And to all settlers it would be a guarantee that all would fare alike. Some special provision might also be made against the natives squandering their money, by investing it for them on mortgage or other securities.—l am, &c., Thomas C. Williams.