Poverty Bay Standard. Published Every Evening. GISBORNE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1882.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1168, 6 October 1882, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. Published Every Evening. GISBORNE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1882.

Some little time b i k while Parliament was in Session the local governing -bodi.es were agitating for the establishment of a Deeds Registry Office in this district. Both the Borough and County Councils luive recently communicated with the Government upon the same subject. Our readers will remember that tlie ’ Hon. Mr. Bryce promised shortly before the prorogation of Parliament that in carrying out his scheme of forming the North Island into separate Native Land Court Districts, that a Deeds Registry Office, wherein the records of the Court would be kept, would be established in each district. By such means increased facilities would be afforded the public of .ascertaining the position in which the titles to the land in the various districts were situated. With reference to our own immediate district the Government, it would seem, have left it an open question whether or not .the Registry Office for the proposed East Cur.st Native Land Court Distriet’abould lie situated at Napier or Gisborne. It is to be sincerely hoped that the excellent scheme propounded by tiiu Hon. Mr. Bryce will bo in nowise marred by such an error as having the Registry Office for the East Coast Native Lands District situate in Napier. There are many arguments that could be used against such a course. Lands in the Hawke s Bay Province have nearly all had the Native title extinguished years ago, while in this district there is an enormous area of land already passed, and vet to be adjudicated upon, the Land Court records of which might just as well be in Auckland us in Hawke’s Bay, so far as any practical good to this part of the East Coast ii < vn ei ned. Gisborne is the undoubted

centre, and it is in every respect the best : place to have deposited the records of the j N-itive Lend Court for the lands in the East ' Coast District. The subject is one fraught I with so much importance to the community ’ as a whole that we think that astrong repre- ; sentat ion of the public feeling upon the matter should I*. made without delay to the Hon. ; the Native Minister. While upon this sub. j ject we would remark that v.c trust that the ' (Government in appointing a Registrar of the Court for this district will exercise a wise discretion. Wc heard the other day a rumor that Mr. Richard John Gill, of the Native . Office, Wellington, was likely to be promoted , to the position. Now we <lo not desire to • say anything unkind of that gentleman. He may, ami doubtless is, a most estimable and > christian-like person in the circle he adorns . by his presence. Bethat as it may, we think ; ' the Government would make an unwise se- •. | lection in placing an officer whose connection ; j with lands in this district is such as Mr. j I Gill's has been. We do not mean anything j i offensive, but we would simply point out 1 • that as a Land Purchase Commissioner for . I the Government Mr. Gill has, during the past few years, been brought into serious I conflict with Europeans in this district in i discharging the onerous duties of his office. | The Government will have a large Held to I choose from when they are prepared to make the appointment, ami by all means let the . ‘ task fall to—we care not whom, so long as ■ it is to one whose antecedents are so far of a • : different character with respect to lands in i I this district as to give him no prediliction or ; ; bias cither one wav’ or the other.