The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1883. THE NATIVE LANDS COURT AND THE LAND CO.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 19, 8 December 1883, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1883. THE NATIVE LANDS COURT AND THE LAND CO.

So far as Gisborne is concerned, the duties of the Native Lands Court are — for some months at least—practically at an end, and we think that, the results of the past labors of that Court cannot fail to prove of immense benefit to this district. There has been, however, serious drawbacks to the successful prosecution of the arduous work ot the Judge—simply through the obstacles thrown in the way by lepreseniatives of that bogus body the “ Native Lands Company.” Repeatedly, when the question of the sub-division of the Kaiti Block came on for consideration, the cry has been the “ vested interests of the Company,” aud the Court solicited to consider the the investment of £30,000 in the said block by that very respectable body. The whole thing in such a farce, aud the amount of impudence so glaringly displayed by the Company’s representatives has been of such magnitude, that we would be inclined to treat the matter as a rich joke, were it not that a very valuable estate is at stake, and pakehas who claim to be considered honorable men have taken au unfair advantage of the Maori owners of the laud in question. “ Vested interests ” indeed! lhe vested interests — so far as the unjust £30,000 claim is concerned, is a mere bogus trans action, for it has been found that that very large amount was never paid to the Native owners. Certainly, the very generous combination- styling themselves, with unblushing assurauce, a Native Lands Company —has been graciously pleased to accept the land “ on trust ” for t he Natives, and how have they carried out their self-imposed arduous duties ? Why, according to that wonuerfullycompiied arrangement their balance sheet, they have an overdraft of no less than £58,050 i4s. 3d., and there is little doubt that that amount is secured by morigages on lhe land obtained from the Natives without any consideration having been accorded. And yet the representatives of this illegal Company have had the assurance to appear in the Gisborne Native Lands Court and retard the progress of the sub-division of a valuable block of land, adjacent to this town, the opening up of which is a matter of grave importance to the business people of this district. It is surprising to us that this so-called

“ Company,” which has no legal standing—not having complied with the provisions of “ The Companies Act, 18S2 hould be permitted to carry on its nefarious practices in such a bold, unscrupulous way

las has been conspicuous in many cases lately brought to light. Is there no justice, we ask, to be obtained in this Colony ? Are men—we beg pardon, gentlemen — who have evidently obtained the control of valuable land under false pretences to go “ unwipt of justice?” It is very evident that the gentlemen who figure as the representatives of the “Company” in this district will stop at nothing but what would give the administrators of the law a clear hold upon them, for they had the assurance to ask the Court to cut out a portion of other owners’ land, with a view of converting it into a road for the improvement of that valuable estate which has passed into the hands of the ‘‘Company” illegally —or, at least, without a proper “consideration” being given for it. It is really scandalous that the time of the N’.dive Lands Court should have been taken up with the hearing of objections from the representatives of a “Company’’that has no legal standing. On reference to a letter in another column it will be seen that the rightful owners had never received “ one sixpence, no, not even one copper” for the land obtained by the “ Company,” and it is satisfactory to find that the Maoris have taken action in the matter to have the case tried at the Supreme Court, to be held at Turanga, in December of the year 1883, about Pakowhai and other of this land.” Is there no hope, we ask, that the people’s representatives will bring such pressure to bear as must have the effect of wiping out the sad disgrace we refer to ? Is the “ almighty dollar” to ever remain a cloak for the perpetration of such unlawful and diabolical transactions as have been brought under our notice. Let us hope that, during (he next session, some members will be found honest and patriotic enough to make every effort to place the supporters of this “ Native Lands Co.” in their proper sphere of usefulness, wherein they may operate at the public expense—but at a very cheap rate.