Opposition to Government Land Purchases.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 417, 7 October 1876, Page 2

Opposition to Government Land Purchases.

Sib,—ln the Herald of the 3rd, I read a letter signed R. Cooper, which for impudent assumption beats anything I have ever seen of alike nature. I perceive you have set him right as regards his misstatement concerning the Standard. With the coolest effrontery he says Mr Wilson’s statement is “ entirely false ;” now, without going into the matter at too great length, I can assure you and your readers, that I have taken some trouble to obtain information in these ■matters; for I considered from what I discovered that there was a ring at work endeavoring to defraud the public of their rights; and I have no hesitation in saying that the sweeping description he gives of Mr Wilson’s statements, (by the way, where did he get those state-

ments P) would be much more appropriately applied to his letter. I will presently give you an instance or two. Justiiotice the amusing way in which he asserts that he has bought from the “ rightful owners ;” assuming the functions of the Land. Court, he seems to have a good notion how judgment will be given. He reiterates that he has purchased from the “rightful owners.” Now the fact is, in those blocks not passed the Court, he hasn’t purchased at all, for several reasons ; one will do, the Native Land Act forbids any such dealings, and renders them absolutely void. He asserts blocks of land to be about | the contents stated by Mr Wilson, yet he knows perfectly well that he refeis to portions only of lands in Mr Wilson’s list. Mr Wilson did not give Tiopira Tawjuao £5O for Waipaoa.Matawai- Mr Wilson has not spent £20,000 to £30,000 amongst the natives of this district. Mr Wilson did not give Pera te Nakuku_£lso for his share of Mangatu-MataWai, &c., &c. I heartily agree with R. Cooper that it is high time some enquiry was made into the subject matter of Mr Wilson’s report, and into the facts surrounding these matters. According to Mr Cooper’s “ schedule ’’ he has purchased “ Te Pakoke o Whirikoka,” 5,200 acres. He has done nothing of the kind ; he has bought a few shares equal to, say, perhaps, | of the block. One of the Wharekaka’s is not yet awarded, so he can’t have got that, and one of/the others he has but a few signatures in ; .and as regards Purernu-ngahua-Matatuatonga, and Ngatawaka-. waka and other blocks, they have been gazetted under the Public Works aud Immigration Acts, and, therefore, can only be bought by Government. But suffice it to sky that _ his whole letter is one tissue of deception and calculated, like the advertisement from the Judge, to be highly prejudicial to the interests of the public; indeed it is rather remarkable that an advertisement of such a nature from a public servant, whose duty, one would hive supposed, would have led him at least to have been reticent as to any flaw in the title of his master, should be so closely followed by a letter, such as that under consideration.

Doubtless Mr Cooper, (who is openly, by his letter, an opponent of the Government land purchases), has been much encouraged and strengthened by the very extraordinary and unprecedented behaviour of Judge Bogan in these matters. —I am, &c., One of the Public.

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