NATIVE LAND COURT PROCEEDINGS

Taranaki Daily News, 7 March 1918, Page 6

NATIVE LAND COURT PROCEEDINGS

To the Editor. Sir, —In a previous letter on tlic above subject, I instanced the case of a Maori landowner who had passed through some very extraordinary experiences of Native Land Court •vagams —not however, under the present rb^im^ —and suggested that such metho Is must lead to confusion and expensive litigations in the near future. If an illustration were needed to show the speculative opportunities opened up by the recent Native Land Act amendments, which permit the Maoris, under certain restrictions, to dispose of their lands, the fact that more than one prominent official of the Native Land Court have, since the first letter was published about nine months ago, resigned their lucrative billets and applied themselves, with a diligence that was not so noticeable in their official careers, to an energetic canvass of all natives having interests in land, of whom there is a quite considerable army, in the endeavor to secure for themselves in their present private professional capacities practically the whole of the exceedingly profitable business which is naturally resulting from the freedom accorded to a people whoso improvidence is proverbial. No doubt the e\'-Native Land Court employees thoroughly understand the position. The Maori is, generally speaking, cautious in business matters, but he is, above all, a gregarious animal, and, when a few of the more influential natives have been enticed to adopt a certain procedure practically all of the others mav be depended on to imhesitatinaly follow the lead. Tt is probable, therefore, that the whole of the transactions now afoot, i.e., the buying and selling of Native lands, tion of deeds, and subdividing the properties, will he. cornered for the exclusive benefit of a few individuals who have no right of priority over others interested, but have had the good fortune to occupy positions which gave them the opportunity, and they have not been slowto avail themselves of the chance. Each citizen of a free country has the unquestionable right to resign the position he holds and to take up any other legitimate occupation he may prefer, or may consider more remunerative, but when —in public matters—an individual endeavors to block out those who may not he acceptable to him, and to advance the interests of others, possibly thereby designing to benefit himself, then it is an interference with public affairs which should not be permitted. It is, on a small scale, an experimental move along similar lines to those followed Ivy the hotorious New York organisation known as Tammany. An instance may be quoted here to show how the innovations in the Native Land Acts are affecting the Natives. A recently surveyed piece of Native land (about GO acres) was immediately disposed of by the Maori own- (••• for three pounds an acre, and at once changed hands again for seven pounds an acre. At n more recent date, it Is said, it has been once again sqM for about £l2 an acre. At least, if not yet actually sold a stockowner has told me that he will willingly pay that amount for the land! These transactions have all taken place within the last twelve months, and this 'is only a very small and insignificant deal, but the Native has apparently thrown away over £SOO in his eagerness, probably, to buy a motor car or attend a race meeting. When one ithinks of the comparatively enormous area of Native land, which is laid at the mercy of human hawks that are everywhere vigilant, one cannot but marvel at the supinenoss of a (!overnment which can allow such a scandal to continue. Is it that, having secured themselves from being shot out of office by indefinitely postponing a genera! election, they are content to permit affairs within the colony to drift as they choose?

The State will certainly siilTer-in the end, for these shiftless; natives will not hesitate to avail themselves of the benefits of the Old Aao Pensions Act when tlie gentleman with the scythe has chased them a sufficient distance along the path to qualify for membership. With reference to surveys, these ap« pear to be attended to after the same fashion as the other business emanating from the Native tand Courts. .Pakeha and Maori land and stock owners are held waiting at great expense and inconvenience until some specially sorted out surveyor is sent along by' the Department to attend to the survey, regardless of the fact that the individual principally interested has bad a private surveyor willing to do the surveys from the first. These individual losses would amount to a startling sum in the aggregate. No open comnetition seems to be called for in local Native land surveys, which are, apparently, dealt with at the sweet will of one or two individuals with quite autocratic power.

We don't, of course, take seriously the assurances of Cabinet Ministers that those who are represented on the battle front should have first consideration, but at least they should not be allowed to be quite elbowed out altogether bv men who from an outside view, should be employed elsewhere, instead of being content to let other men defend them, hi these surveys, moreover, the land is there as an 'asset, and willy nilly, the surveys are made (often over lines alsurveyed) and are paid whether the Native owners consent or not. We allow the Maori to get married as he likes, and to get buried—well, he doesn't like that as a rule, but there is no doctor's certificate or fuss that T am aware of; and. when the Massey Government made him a freeholder, no doubt he thought that he might do what, he pleased with his land. But. no! There was money in the land, and the various departments got busy and produced red tape by the waggon load, nnd said to the Maori: 'Ton mustn't do this," and "You cannot do that," until the worried native grows uncertain of being really the owner of bis own land and seeks refuge in v a disastrous sale. I have not yet exhausted this subject, and, craving permission for further space at a future date,—l remain, etc.. I. J. R. STEWART. Manaia, March 4.