CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 244, 3 February 1875, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

:o: Our columns arc open for free discussion; but we do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents. — :o: TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —Will you permit me, through the medium of your journal, to make a few remarks touching the present aspect of land matters in this district. The terms of that document called “The Deed of Cession” have been so often rehearsed, and dwelt upon, that the different clauses have become “ familiar as household words.” On this deed, beyond a doubt, must necessarily hangall titles to land within the ceded district. By it the native title was finally and for ever extinguished within certain limits, with this proviso, that all loyal natives should have the power to come forward from time to time and prove their claims to any blocks of laud within its boundaries, before two Commissioners to be appointed for the purpose. Subsequently the Government accepted two blocks of land, Te Muhunga, (Ormond) and Kaimoe (Patutahi) as a sort of indemnity for losses sustained by tho Hauhau rebellion. This was taken at that time, as representing the entire share of the Haubau rebels in the district; the residue being most distinctly guaranteed, under the above proviso, to those of the natives who had held firm to their allegiance. A further proviso was made by the deed, binding the crown to issue grants, for all lands within the ceded district, to which loyal natives might prove their titles. Numerous blocks of land passed under the Commission held here in July 1869, the Commissioners being Judges Monro, and Kogan of the Native Lands Court. Thus far the Government kept their faith with the natives, but very shortly after, they appear to have resolved to break through tiie pledges entered into, for in answer to applications made by certain loyal natives, a second sitting of the Court was held, under one Commissioner only, and evidently subject to the ■provisions of the Native Lands Act. Public opinion was against this glaring breach of faith on the part of the Government ; aud by way of mending the matter, tho presence of two Commissioners dignified the third, sitting of the Court, at which sitting little or no business was got through owing to discussions among the natives themselves.

Now we are about to have another sitting of the Court, this time uumistakeably under the provisions of the Native Lands Act; anti, seeing that the Government have already handed back the residue of the ceded lands to the natives, oiler which the native title was declared to to be for ever extinguished, and that withwithout any hearing of claims or Crown Grants having been issued to the original owners when so returned, I submit, that in this act the Government have arrogated to themselves powers with which they are not vested ; they have no power to recreate native lands within a district where the native title has been proclaimed as extinguished. The terms of Cession were explicit, one course only remained for the Government to pursue, that, as pointed out in the Deed through the working out of which, all the Crown Grants issued for blocks which passed under the first Commission in 1869, base. There are virtually no native lauds within the ceded district at the present moment; and yet we have the fact of a Native Lands Court about to sit to adjudicate on the same! Truly we live under a most paternal Government, one that is. not at all chary at thus breaking through an express contract when interest serves ! Then is it- not monstrous that the Hau hau murderers of defenceless women and children should be tacitly permitted to enter as grantees iu the claims brought before the Court, more particularly as these lauds have been specially guaranteed by the Government, to the loyal natives only ? But it is evident from oilier facts that the Government would willingly throw the aegis of their authority over these Hauliaus in order that they may escape the just punishment of their crimes. I do not say this at random; I can quote an instance in point: About three years ago I laid an information before the Resident Magistrate here against a Hauhau native called “Te 'Where Harakike,” for the murder of my son ; this man was then residing at Whakatanc, and could easily have been arrested, and several witnesses, who were present, were prepared to swear to the fact of him being the murderer. Will it be believed that no notice whatever was taken of the information, although it was duly forwarded by the Magistrate to the proper quarter? Thus crime is permit ted to go unpunished ; and these outlaws and murderers are deemed more worthy to enter as grantees in blocks than are loyal natives, who, although able to trace descent from the same ancestor with the people now in possession, are held by the Court to have forfeited their claims through non-occupation within the last generation or two. Before concluding! would seek to draw attention to the pernicious system initiated by the Government of purchasing lauds from natives previous o any legal title having vested in them, or in fact before the actual owners have been ascertained.

No doubt it suits the present policy of the Government exactly, to acquire a large landed estate, thus being enabled to enter tho English money market with apparently large securities to offer ; but in this case, as in many others, it is not “ all gold that glitters ;” quantity they may have, but quality they have not, for I assert that a large proportion of the land for which Mr. Commissioner Wilson is now in treaty, is utterly and entirely worthless. Let English capitalists beware ! Millions of acres of land, the property of the New Zealand Government, look well enough on paper, but should a necessity arise to reduce them to pounds, shillings, and pence, I am afraid the result would scarcely come up to expectation. I think I am further justified in referring to the manner in which this Mr. Commissioner Wilson, conducts his negocialions with the view of acquiring bind for the Government. In instances where European settlers, are already in occupation of Blocks of land (sheepruns), that are under agreement to lease from a portion of the presumed owners, he is known to be in treaty with a few of the same tribe, for purchase, thus ignoring the prior right of the squatters already in possession, and prejudicing the best interests of a class of settlers who have ever proven themselves the pioneers of civilization in New Zeland. However I have no doubt there are parties in this district who will be ready and willing to to lend their assistance in thwarting Mr. Wilson in any of his little plans, especially when it is evident that these schemes are calculated to be damaging to tho rights and interests of others.—l am, &c., J. Willie. Mangapapa, January 30,1875.