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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1335, 28 July 1883, Page 2

Driven into a corner, despised by every honest man who understands their tactics, the New Zealand Native Land Settlement Company are verily at their wits’ ends. Men like the Hon. Dr. Pollen and Mr. Thomas Russell, now entangled in the meshes of the Company, fully realise the position, and see when it is nearly too late, that they made a mistake in trusting themselves to be piloted by a newly fledged solicitor. We believe that many of the directors, eave indeed those who have exceptional means in the way of local knowledge, are altogether ignorant of the schemes resorted to by a few of the Directors and the Company’s agents in acquiring the great areas of land that loom so largely in the Company’s returns. We have before us statements apparently of a p rima facie character which, if we were to publish might be only anticipating evidence yet to be given iu the Criminal LawCourts of the Colony, The Company or ity agents, inspired no doubt with the belief that corporations possess neither bodies to be kicked nor souls to be damned,” have carried out their negotiations in a fearless disregard, of the provisions laid down in the Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act. His Honor Judge Gillies observed with respect to the celebrated Whataupoko Trust Deed, when it came before him, that he was astonished to think any Trust Commissioner could, be found to pass such a Deed, as it was almost impossible for learned men, let alone ignorant Natives, to understand, its purport. How' then the Company’s deeds, with the mysterious arrangements about scrip, are to be understood by Maoris, who never heard of such a thing as a share market, we leave Time to determine, Can any one wonder when the light of day is at last poured iu on the most iniquitous proceedings that have ever characterised European transactions with Maori lands, that fear and terror should seize the perpetrators Their mana has gone. Under the shadow of philanthropy, hissing serpents are revealed. The dreams of untold wealth are dispelled, Nothing now remains but to face the just accusations of the avenging gods. The day of retribution is fast approaching. “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.” As drowning men are said to clutch at straws, so also appear equally infantile the efforts of the Company to nullify the effect the petitions from the Maori land-owners to the Houses of Parliament, condemnatory of the mode adopted in obtaining their lands. It should be borne in mind that the petitions to Parliament against land companies’ operations are by no means confined to the East Coast District alone, The petition from the Waikato, Whanganui and other Native tribes—some hundreds of persons—-is couched in strong language. “ We are beset,” says the petition, “on every side by the outrageous practices, and the temptations we are exposed to by the speculators, and even by Maoris and half-castes whom the companies Jiave secured to decoy us into the arts of the companies.” These are the words of Wahanui, Rewi Maniafoto, and other of the most influential chiefs in the country, together with hundreds of their followers. They ask the protection of Parliament. The petitions from the Tologa Bay natives and those residing nearer to Gisborne, have a more bitter tale to tell. They tell their tale of misplaced confldencc, and recount how, after the Maori owners had conveyed their land to trustees, these trustees mortgaged the trust properties, and raised large sums of money, without the knowledge or consent of the Native owners. The next step is the formation of the company, and as the petition says, “by wrong representations and promises, made by members of the said company, their solicitors, agents, and interpreters,” some of the Natives were induced to appear before the Trust Commissioner and state that the whole of the consideration money mentioned in the deeds of conveyance had been paid. That the Company in one instance caused a cheque for £B,UOO, or thereabouts, to be delivered to certain Natives, and after such Natives had sworn before the Trust Commissioner that valuable consideration had oeen paid for the land, the cheque was immediately afterwards taken back and destroyed. Here is a bare outline of the allegations contained in the petition, the truth or falsehood of which should, with the least possible delay, iu the interests of all parties, be irrevocably established. But what does the Company door rather its agents ; yet wc presume the master is responsible for the acts of his servants ? Dues the Company demand a strict investigation to search out the truth of the allegations’ made ? Does Mr DeLautour rise in his place in the House and with that assumed tone of virtuous indignation he delighted to put on when reviling the .twelve Apostles of Hawke’s Bay ? Does Sir George Grey say one word in defence of the petitioners who contend that they have been robbed, and who, with all humility, simply demand that their grievances may be inquired into ? Echo answers No ! Mr DeLautour endeavours to cast doubts on the genuiness of the petition. All this time, Mr Charles Ferris, one of the Company’s agents, is scouring out every Maori whare about Waiapu with a petition which the Natives are implored to sign, to the effect that the Government should take no notice of the petition against the Land Company with reference to the Paremata Block. Mr Ferris’ efforts on behalf of the Company, and his assiduous endeavours to get his petition signed, should in fairness to that gentleman, be liberally rewarded by the com pany, for the laborer is worthy of his hire.

We, however, cannot pass over in sileaee, j the sneaking effort to evade and clog an i impartial enquiry into the allegations made against the New Zealand Native Land Settlement Company. The truth or falsehood of these allegations cannot be arrived at until an exhaustive enquiry has taxon place. We would remind Sir George Grey of his utterances in the House, when he so often deprecated the injustice done to Natives when selling their land with no legal adviser in the matter, excepting the one retained by the European purchaser. Let Sir George remember that •those natives who pray that a Royal Commission, or some other competent tribunal, be appointed to enquire into their causes of complaint, who complain that their lands have gone wrongfully from them, had no advisers but those persons who, when the necessities of the time demanded it, became changed from the character of trustees for the natives, to agents for the company. In transactions eo open to suspicion as buying native lands, can any man “ serve two masters?” Assuredly, no. A demand has been made for a searching enquiry, and there will be no rest until the charges made are disposed of. No political considerations with, either the Government or the Opposition should for an instant weigh againstgranting the prayer of the natives, who, in plain English, allege that they have been robbed.