Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE: THURSDAY, MARCH 22. 1883.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1299, 22 March 1883, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE: THURSDAY, MARCH 22. 1883.

Verily the changes in the constitution of the New Zealand Land and Settlement Company are beginning to make themselves felt. Sometime since, as our readers will remember, it was reported that the Company had acquired Mr. Percival Bankers interest in the Whataupoko block. But the final settlement of terms had not been concluded. It augurs favorably for the future success of the Company, that the pleasing fact may now be recorded that Mr. Barker, who has been greatly harrassed in mind, and placed to about £BOOO expenses in litigation, during the past few years, may now calmly slumber, solacing himself with the assurance that his Whataupoko troubles are at an end. That satisfactory arrangements have been arrived at—arrangements this time of a substantial character—Mr Barker being the the happy recipient, yesterday morning, of £17,500 from the Company, as well as getting ample security for the balance of the purchase is a matter for congratulation. During the past few years our respected fellowsettler, Mr. Percival Barker, has had over these matters more wear and tear, both mental and physical, to put up with—and the worst of all pain—the pain of suspense —than falls to the lot of ordinary men. Hie estate, practically in chancery, legal costs accumulating day by day, with the end as uncertain, and as far off as ever, and all this time thousands of acres of land compelled to lie and remain unproductive, as at the present time some of the estates in Ireland. When a man passes through such an ordeal as Mr. Bakker has gone through, the idea of lawsuits and legal proceedings naturally conjure up to his mind some horrid nightmare. The re actionary period in Mr. Barker’s career has finally arrived, and all will echo the sentiment “ better late than never.” “Oh, Lord .' let there be peace in our time,” may well be the exclamation to be rendered up by many in Poverty Bay. It is with no unfeigned pleasure we congratulate the Company upon their settlement with Mr. Barker. As in ail complicated transactions, nothing decisive c «n he done, un’ts.a yielding spirit makes itself felt on all sides. We can fully testify to Mr. Barker's wil-

Ibigneas, notwithstanding all h’s past annoyj anccs, to bury the hatchet, and meet the Company’s negotiations in a most liberal . spirit. It Is well that things arc so. Mr. i Barker as an old and valued settler in this district, can as he has all along been anxious to do, now devote his attention to those agricultural and pastoral pursuits, more ad- , vantageous to himself, and productive of ■ good to the district than the interminable litigation of the past. To Mr. K. ff. Ward, Mr. Barker’s solicitor, much credit is due for bringing his legal acumen and tact to bear in solving knotty points, and smooth- ; ing over difficulties until all parties were : able at last to meet upon a common basis, ; one mutually satisfactory to all. Once more I congratulating Mr. Bakker upon the ter- ' mination of his legal troubles in connection ! with Whataupoko, we are glad in the In- ; terests of all parties., the Company, the dis- ! trict itself, and Mr. Barker, that the cur- ; tain can be let drop upon the scenes of ! litigation and dispute that have so long • marred the best prospects of the Bay, and j hung like a threatening cloud over its pros- ■ P erit y- ______