Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. Thursday, March 23, 1882.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1052, 23 March 1882, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. Thursday, March 23, 1882.

Mr Bryce seems determined, while holding the office of Native Minister, that Maoris shall be possessed of full and ample information in respect to alienation of their patrimonial estates. The plea of ignorance that in the past could with so great a show of justice be by them advanced as to the meaning of such alienation, no longer exists, at anv rate in this part of the North Island. For numbers of years gone by the sole absorbing topic of Native conversation has been the business of selling and leasing their lands. Land alienation has been the one theme under everlasting discussion, and now, by the last mail, a paternal Government, anxious to supply still further pabulum for the mind, has issued, in the Maori Gazette, copies of the Native Lands Fraud Prevention Act, with forms of declaration to be made by Natives in accordance with the regulations prepared by His Honor the Chief Justice, Sir James Prendergast, and issued lately by the Government as an Order in Council. Plainly and forcibly, in the Native language, are circulated in every Maori settlement throughout this country, the conditions under which they can legally dispose of their lands. The Native vending has to formally declare before a J.P. the conditions of sale—that he lias been duly paid, that he has received no spirits, firearms, or other consideration of an illegal nature ; and, further, that he retains sufficient lands, other than those concerned in the declaration, for his support; a similar declaration in support of the bonajides of such conditions, being also made by the purchaser at the same time. The acceptance of these declarations by the Trust Commissioner would, we take it, greatly facilitate the despatch of large land transactions in this district which are now pending, and which involve the alienation or otherwise of many thousands of acres of land which Europeans and Maoris are alike anxious to have completed. The Commissioner, however, takes a different view of the matter, and refuses to accept the forms of declaration as all that is required. His reasons for so doing we are unaware of, but it certainly appears to us that some amelioration of existing conditions mnst be brought about—an amelioration which the acceptance of the declarations referred to, when thoroughly prepared, would greatly tend to produce, being evidently introduced for the facilitation of lands transfer by Natives who from want of means or inability of any kind, cannot attend the sittings of the Lands Courts. We have perused the declarations fully and they appear to us to be as thorough in their meaning and legality as their author could possibly wish. If these declarations are not to be accepted, what means can bo adopted to equally facilitate dispatch of transfer as referred to. Their non-acceptance certainly nullifies the evident intention of the Native Minister in so widely circulating among Natives the fact of their authorised issue as notified by the Maori Gazette. We are naturally curious to know, why, after these declarations being notified by tbe Government so carefully as good and binding conveyances, the Trust Commissioner refuses to accept them ? If they are not in reality legally binding documents, why does the Native Minister advertise them as such, land thus add another spoke to the already complicated wheel of Native land difficulties ?

Ilia Worship Mr. Price, during the hearing of the case Police v. Thomas, for larceny of meat, had his attention called to the wretched smell arising from the putridity thereof, to the discomfort of every one present. His Worship remarked that although the smell emitted by the putrid meat was in a high measure disagreeable, it was neither so disagreeable or unwholesome as other smells which he frequently bad to experience in that Court when in a crowded slate, especially in hot weather. We need hardly say that every one most heartily agrees with His Worship in this respect. The R.M. Court-room, if it can be dignified by such a name, is a miserab’y small, badly-ventilated room, without sufficient accommodation, and utterly devoid of acoustic properties. Witnesses as a rule are given to subduing their voices when giving evidence, and the Magistrate and Clerk, as well as the Bar and Reporters, suffer no slight inconvenience from this cause, which is greatly aggravated by the dearth of acoustic properties, and the noise arising from an occasional war-dance overhead. The doors and windows cannot all be opened without creating an unbearable draught, while, if they are closed the heat, and odour become simply unbearable. We don’t suppose there is any means of getting this altered in these dayi of retrenchment, the health of a few valuable servants and the attendant public being a secondary consideration where expenditure is concerned, but, if alterations are long neglected, sickness must necessarily ensue. As it stands the Court-room is unhealthy, uncomfortable, and very nearly useless. We should like to hear wiiat opinion Mr. Greenwood’s experience leads him to form upon t-iis matter.

We see by our southern exchanges that R. W. Cary, actor, has filed a declaration of insolvency. It is said that among his creditors are the parents of the members of his late juvenile troupe of “ Pirates,” for salaries due to them.

Mr George Burnand, in thanking the inhabitants of Gisborne for their patronage, informs them that he has disposed of his carting and contracting business to Messrs. Dolman and Burry, who are at the service of the public, and for whom he solicits a continuance of the same hearty support. The proprietor of the American Portrait Rooms advertises that he will positively close his establishment in Gisborne on Thursday 30th inst. People therefore who would wish to possess themselves of good likenesses at cheap rates should not omit to pay a visit to the establishment in Peel-street prior to that time.

Mrs T. Willshire, Milliner, and Dressmaker. calls the attention of her friends and the public, while thanking them for past custom, to the fact of her removal of business establishment to the new buildings erected in the Gladstone Road, opposite Mr A. .Somervell’s shop. Mrs Willshire reminds us that she has a large stock of all kinds of requisites for ladies’ and children on hand, and also makes to order ou the premises. The Tologa Bay Racing Club advertise that general entries for their meeting of 10th of April will close in Gisborne at 9 p.m. on the 27th inst.., and at Tologa Bay on the 29th inst. Weights to be declared on the 3rd of April. There are seven race advertised, of an aggregate value of £69, particulars of which wiil be seen in the advertisement. Entries made in Gisborne must bear the Gisborne postmark of 27th March, while Tologa Bay entries must be made at the Ferry Hotel by 9 p.m. on 29th March.

We are informed that on Thursday hist a house in Bright-street, in the vicinity of Messrs Large and Townley’s workshop, had a narrow escape from destruction by fire. Luckily, before the devouring element had obtained more than a slight hold, it was discovered, and easily extinguished. The cause of the fire is alleged to have been the falling of live embers from the fire place on to the floor. What might have been the result had speedy discovery not (been made, is a problem we leave to the townspeople to solve. At a meet ing of the Fire Brigade held last evening a vote of thanks to Mr S. Stevenson was unanimously carried, for his liberality in placing a pair of horses at the disposal of the Brigade, should they be required either for actual service or for practice, free of charge. One new member was elected, and one proposed for election. Mr Humphries was elected branchman, vice Brookes, who resigns. Twenty members were present. The special committee reported tbe acceptance of S. Bowman’s tender for repair of hand-engine, by Saturday, 25th inst., when practice will be held for the purpose of testing hose and other work performed under the contract. An addition to the racing stock of Poverty Bay has been made by the purchase by Mr W. Profitt, at the large amount of £lO5, of a bay gelding by “ Patriarch ” out of that game little mare “ Hatred.” The colt was landed from the ss. Te Anau on Monday morning last. Mr Te Kani also returned by the same boat bringing ” Hero,” his late purchase at Waerenga-a-hika, who has been to Napier to fulfil his engagements. Another gentleman well-known in racing circles also brought “ Gundagai ” late “ Jack Spratt.” The horses were all landed in first rate condition, and will probably be heard of at the ensuing Waerenga a-hika meeting. Mr Profit t’s colt is engaged in the Auckland Derby, Hawke’s Bay Guinea’s, and Canterbury and Welcome Stakes at Christchurch.

A very offensive practice is weekly indulged in by certain over-grown youths, or at any rate, incipient, young men, in the Waimata River on Sundays. It is well known that very many of our townspeople with their wives and families occasionally row up this picturesque stream, and that the sense of delicacy on the part of the males, and modesty on t e part, of the weaker sex, is very often shocked by a number of hobble-de-hoys—who are neither men nor boys—desporting themselves in the river, clad in nature’s garb, immediately in the vicinity of a boatful of ladies and gentlemen. This certainly is not right, unless a bathing costume is assumed. In the interests of pleasure and of decency, we trust something will be done to prevent the recurrence of t.his offensive matter, and thal without delay.