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Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 329, 12 June 1878, Page 2

A i.AXi) transaction, on a stupendous scale, took place in Carlyle on Monday It appears that for some time past the natives of the Nganmi tribe, residing at Whenuakura and Waitotara, have been desirous of selling the whole block of ’land between the two rivers above named, from the confiscated boundary as far back as the bounds of the County, estimated to contain about 200,000 acres. Several preliminary meetings were held, and on Monday, men and women on horse and foot, and in vehicles, thronged the town. A room at the Council Buildings was obtained, and there all points were agreed upon, and finally a deed was signed in presence of Captain Wray, the R.M., wherein the natives agreed to dispose of the whole block to Mr William Cowern, auctioneer, of Carlyle. Mr W. Williams, Native Interpreter,negotiated the transaction. We understand the survey is to commence at once, and the land brought into the Court. We are pleased to learn that the land has been offered to the Government, as it would be monstrous that a large block of land like the above, should be swallowed up by a few individuals, to their own advantage, and thus compel the public—the real bone and sinew of the land—eventually to pay a price, which would be'almost prohibitive as regards settlement, and what is worse, the money, instead of going into the public coffers, to be reproduced in roads and public works, fo the advantage of the district and the colony at large, would simply go to render one, or a dozen men, independent for life—men who would most probably spend the money thus acquired in other countries, the colony being doubly a loser. There is plenty of evidence that this is. being done everyday, and if a stop could bo put to large transactions of this kind the colony would be the richer. The block might have fallen into worse hands than those of Mr William Cowern, who is a gentleman widely known and esteemed as a business man, and who is naturally interested in promoting settlement throughout the County. We think he has acted wisely in offering Government the refusal of his purchase, and should he remain in undisturbed possession, we trust that he will retail at reasonable prices. Reserves are to be left for the natives.