GROUNDS OF NATIVE DISCONTENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2690, 2 November 1881, Page 2

GROUNDS OF NATIVE DISCONTENT.

(“ Auckland Star.”) The Hon, J. Sheehan, Native Minister, in a memorandum dated April 14, 1879, says ;—“ Between the north bank of the Waitara, and Pukearuhe are living a large number of natives, many of whom hold land scrip, or certificates issued to them by the Compensation Court, which sat in New Plymouth between 1865 and 1867. Of these awards a few mainly tribal ones —have been allocated. All, or nearly all, of the individual awards still exist only on paper, and in very few cases have Crown Grants been issued. There can bo no doubt that the delay of ten or twelve years which has taken place since the awards were made by the Compensation Court has contributed largely to creating a feeling of distrust in the minds of natives having a beneficial interest in the awards.” Of the Stoney River Block of 18,000 acres, Mr Sheehan says . “ It was intended to be given back to the Ngamahanga tribe or hapu of the Taranaki tribe (Te Whiti’s tribe), the original owners. So far as I can ascertain, up to the present time there has been no waiver of the Crown’s rights over this block in the manner required by the New Zealand Settlements Act, although I am convinced that, as a matter of good faith, the waiver is morally complete. The Natives concerned in this block of land express the same feeling of insecurity and distrust at the delay which has taken place in the completion of this transaction.” With respect to Parihaka block of 80,000 acres Mr Sheehan held that no promise of return had ever been made, and the Government had always considered the confiscation as complete. But over the Opunake, Stoney River, and also attaching to the Parihaka block, “ Compensation awards issued to loyal natives are now in force and unexercised to the extent of about 10,000 acres.” “In regard to the Parihaka block, and so much of the Waimate Plains as lies north of the Eaupokonui River, some of those awards are in still force and effect, and will have to be met either in land or money, when the land is dealt with. ” S peaking of the Waimate Plains block, Mr Sheehan says the only offer made to the natives was one under instructions of Sir Donald McLean in 1872 of “ ample reserves, and as takoha (compensation or as gratuity) a sum not exceeding 5s an acre for such land as might be retained by the Government.” As they did not accept, Mr Parris, the officer |who communicated the offer, considered it to have been withdrawn. Mr Sheehan concluded that “ grievances exist of various kinds,” and he specifies them under four classes: (1) Delay in the settlement of these questions. (2) Burying-grounds, eel-weirs and fishing-stations, which it is alleged were promised to be reserved,have been allowed to pass into the hands of pakehas. (3) The reserves, where made, had not been individualised, and a few of the leading people had been able to lease them without the consent of the bulk of the hapu, causing the removal of the latter from their cultivations and generating a large amount of wellfounded discontent. (4) The non-issue of Crown Grants for the lands received.