THE WAIMATE PLAINS ULTIMATUM.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2163, 23 February 1880, Page 3

THE WAIMATE PLAINS ULTIMATUM.

About 300 natives altended the Waimatc Plains Commission which sat at Oio on Thursday and Friday. Many of them were braves, and (here were several chiefs whose claims to land Mild to be confiscated were heard. The natives generally contended they and their ancestors had lighted their fires on the land for ages, and they therefore wanted it surveyed and Crown granted to them. The Commissioners after patiently listening to all the natives had to say (some of it very irrelevant) made a formal statement, which was, sentence by sentence, carefully jlranslated to the natives. Its substance was to the following effect: —That when the lands were confiscated the lilies and claims derived from their old tribal rights and usuages ceased from that time, for though they have boon allowed to occupy the land undisturbed, still the Government in no way recognised them as proprietors of the same. Any promises made to natives in regard to awarding land to them b3 r authorised officers of the Government would be duly curried out. As to the bulk of the natives, the Government would take care they would be provided with ample reserves, so as not to be left homeless or become a burden upon the country, and if they chose afterwards to lease those reserves Government would see that they received a fair rental. All care would bo exercised in (he preservation of their fishing right, hut the quantity of land to be reserved for them and the locality in which it would be situated would bo decided entirely by Government. They were also told that when the land was confiscated (ho Government did not ask the leave of To Whiti nor anyone else, and now that they had taken posession and had commenced to make roads through the Plains, no heed would bo paid to what To Whiti or anyone else said. Having begun, they intended to cany out all they had undertaken. They would make roads all through the Plains wherever necessary, and survey the land for settlement, laying out townships wherever it was deemed advisable, but certain sections in those townships would bo reserved for the leading men amongst flic natives, so that when they choose to visit the townships there would be places which the natives could call their own. In conclusion, the natives were informed in the most emphatic manner, and so as to prevent any misunderstanding, that the land on that side of the AVaingongoro Kivcr would be treated precisely the same as that on the other, and they were made to understand that the Government would not take any advantage of, or punish, those who absented themselves frtmi the Commission. Their rights would be studied as much as the interests of those present, Before breaking up the natives were asked to make known amongst their Friends and countrymen the words of the Commission. The statement produced considerable effect, for the natives have been talking the matter over amongst themselves ever since.