COROMANDEL FORESHORE.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 189, 17 May 1872, Page 3

COROMANDEL FORESHORE.

Yesterday’s Herald , in commenting on the action taken bv tlie Government with regard to the foreshore, says : “ We are glad to see that the Government have at length taken steps to prevent any more claims being made in the Native Lands Court to the sea-shore until, at any rate, Parliament has had the opportunity of dealing with the question. AVe feel assured that the whole community will approve of the action of the Government in this matter. No injustice can be done to the natives by the. issuing of the proclamation suspending the jurisdiction of the Native Lands Court. All the natives can complain of is the trifling inconvenience of the hearing of their claims being postponed, and the Government have very liberally compensated them for any expenses they have incurred by attending the Court at Auckland. Parliament will have to deal with this question of native claims to the foreshore, and the natives have no reason to fear that full justice will not be done to them. Experience of the past teaches us that in all questions affecting native rights the feeling of the Legislature is strong in favour of the natives. If, therefore, we hear no more of such cases in the Native Lands Court — and we devoutly hope it will be so—the natives will still have their rights, if any, preserved to them.” In common with our contemporary, we are glad that there is likely to be some arrangement come to. in regard to the question of the native title to the foreshore, as sooner or later it will be a matter of the first importance to this field, the foreshore being the only avadable land for the erection of large crushing plants, which will, no doubt, be required some day or other, as mining operations extend.