The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 1882.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4240, 3 August 1882, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 1882.

._ ...._ ■ Befeji;ein& again to the Native Reserves Act, and remembering the - position the Public Trustee was placed in, let us see how he has to carry out his duties, and what he has to do. By clause 13, It is | declared that every native reserve shall be used,.and the rents and proceeds thereof be applied for and toward the purposes or objects to which the same are applic* able respectively, and none other, provided that where any such purposes or objects have become obsolete or no longer possible of attainment the Governor* in- 1 Council may direct to what purposes or i or object similar to the original object such reserve may be devoted. Where any reserve has been or shall be made for the benefit or in trust for the benefit of any natives, whether individually or collectively, the said word " benefit," in any instrument constituting the trusts, shall , be construed to mean the physical, social, mpral, or pecuniary benefit of such natives, dnd shall extend to include the providing of- medical assistance and medicines, and ' the proceeds of any such reserves may be applied accordingly*. The Public Trustee may, with the • sanction of the the Board, from time to time lease any portion of the Reserves vested in him or under his control, in respect of which no trust shall have been created inconsistent with the exercise of his power, (1) for agricultural purposes, to any person or I persons for any term not exceeding . twenty-one years in possession, subject to ■such -covenants and provisions as shall 'seem fair anid equitable, and (2) for buildling ipgrposes for any period not. to exceed sixty-three years, by renewable terms not exceeding twenty-one years, each subject to a, new. assessment of rent at every such renewal,' subject as aforesaid. Every such lease shall be subject to such regulations as may prescribed under this Act, and also the following condition: — (a) Every lease shall be disposed of by public auction or public tender after due notification thereof has been given by 'advertisement in a newspaper having general circulation in the district wherein the land •to be leased is situate, as the Board shall think the most fitting in eaph case; (&) the rent to be reserved shall be the best improved rent obtainable at the time ; (c) no fine premium or foregift shall in any case be taken upon any lease; '(el) no person in any way concerned with the, administration of the Act shall in any case be personally interested, directly or indirectly, in any .lease, nor shall there be ! imported therein any provisions or cove- | nant for the private advantage of any tsuch person. But there is. another important officer to be connected with this department besides' the Public Trustee, as clause 26 and the following j clauses are. as follows :—-The'Governor j may, from time.to time appoint a Native | Eeserves Commissioner, who shall, subject i

to the direction,of the Public Trustee,' conduct all or any portion of the routine business relating to the administration of Natiy.e Reserves rested in the Public Trustee, or under his control. The said Commissioner may be personally or by agent appointed in writing in the name .of - the Public Trustee, and on his behalf—(l) Make all applications and conduct any proceedings in the Court in relation to any native reserve, and do all other things necessary or required to be done in relation thereto respectively. (2) Take all necessary proceedings in criminal as well as in civil cases in law or in equity when authorised thereto, inheriting, touching, or concerning any native reserves or any proceeds thereof whatsoever vested in the public Trustee. The Bill requires little comment; its broad outlines are distinct, although its hidden purpose, if such there be, is not declared. It creates another of those formidable departments of the Government of which we have too many already; in fact, the officials control the country, instead of the country controlling them. It is : also thought that it is calculated to destroy that independence and self-reliance of the native people we should seek to foster and not to abolish. But, on the other hand, experience has shown that the Maoris are improvident, and squander their estate recklessly. They have no thought for the morrow. It is all verywell to talk about the natives being able to manage their own affairs. That is true to a limited extent, but owing to their mode of living and the potent influence of the pakeha's money, the land slips away from their grasp. In a word, they have not those habits of thrift and calculation for the future which are characteristic of and inseparable from civilization. How he shall meet his bills as they mature or raise funds to pay the wages on Saturday, considerations that are an ever present source of anxiety to the business man, never trouble the light-hearted, " take things as they come " aboriginal native. But it is just this difference between the Maori and the pafceha that renders it incumbent on the colony to take some steps for their protection. And even then it would not be so much an act of philanthropy as a matter of business. Not many years hence the native lands would have passed into the hands of Europeans, and what then? The colony, if for no higher motive than its own reputation, could not allow them to starve, therefore they would become a burden on the State for maintenance. Unquestionably there should be numerous and ample reserves for the Maoris, absolutely inalienable. These would render them independent of the State, and the State independent of them. We have no doubt that Mr Bryce's object in pressing this bill is to place all these reserves on a solid basis once and for ever, and to apply the business principles customary amongst Europeans to their management, so that on the one hand the settlers may utilise them to the full extent, and on the other hand the natives may lire com» fortably, and, as they increase in value, even luxuriously, on the annual proceeds.

CONSIDEEABI/E dissatisfaction exists relative to the instructions which hare been issued to tho Secretary of the Queen of Beauty Company that no peraon is to be allowed to examine any portion of the share register except that page of it which contains a record of hi? own transactions. As the shares are steadily falling in the face of the improved prospects of the mine, folk on 'Change would like to see who's who. We believe the instructions were issued a few months ago on account of some cheerful person, who was neither Brown nor Robinson, devoting too much of his valuable time to studying that interesting tome. It is just possible, however, that the cure may be worse than the disease.

The Parliamentary telegrams yesterday convey intelligence of an alteration in the Licensing Law of some importance, which has been carried in the House of Represen tntives, namely that the loual bodies shall constitute the Licensing Committees. This would not do away with the local option poll, but simply substitute the County Councils and boroughs as the administrators of that decision, for the present system of Licensing Committees. 1

No firm has ever suffered more at the hands of old-identityism and the influence of established interests than Messrs Oppenheimer and Co., of Auckland. Since they began business some eighteen months ago, no effort has been spared by numerous merchants to decry their credit, by circulating reports relative to their bona fides calculated to shake confidence in their honesty and stability. If a rapidly-extending business and a large and increasing foreign connection be any answer to these reports, then the firm have given their enemies a complete and irrefragable reply. In spite of all opposition, they are forcing their way to the front. They have exhibited great enterprise, and that of' a character calculated to benefit Auckland, and through it the surrounding districts. Amongst their efforts may be mentioned that they endeavored to induce a French line of steamers trading to the Colonies to call at Auckland, and it is not impossible that their representations may yet have the desired effect. Another direction in which they put forth efforts was to initiate a line of direct traders between Boston (TJ S.A) and Auckland, and considerable correspondence has taken place between leading shipowners in Boston and them relatire thereto, which it would not bs. surprising to find bear fruit. The firm makes a speciality of importing machinery of the latest and most approved character, especially American. An advertisement containing a description of varioas classes of goods which they have just im. ported—the Cleveland Steam Guage Company's portable' forges and fan-blasts, the Baker rotary windmills and feed-grinders, and all sorts of electrio supplies—will be found in our fourth page. At the trial of a case.at Te Aroha against a publican for supplying liquora to. others than bona fide travellers, Mr Kenrick, 8.M., took occasion to point out that the provision in the Act that publicans can at all hours supply drinki to lodgers and bona fide travellers wag 10 comprehensive as to mar in a groat measure the effect of the enactment.

The program mo of the performance by thn Hauraki Troubadours to-morrow night will be found in another column. In addition to the usual complement of songs, &c, Mr Wiseman J will give his local 6ong, " Harbor and rail way." A dance will follow the performance. '

The correspondent of "ft Chrisfchurch paper relates that it was onca said that -there is ' more in Sir George Grey's " Hear, hear" intonation being i,ik*n into account, than in many other men's sfudied speeches. 4 case , in poin^. The other evening a certain hon. gentl man, who, to do him justice, is neither more nor less truthful—i 1 a Parliamentry seme of course— than oth< r members, desired ..to explain '„,away..,. ...*,,,,-?. statement previously made by him Se had got bo far as ." Mr Spe.ker, Sir, y.'hen \t naad.e that sfnt.omont I was lying——" when thoro proceeded from the corner -which the- Knight of Kawau affects, a ve'y signi6o;»nt " Heeau! Hbbatt!.! HBKATJ !! ! ' Th« outraged speaker, blushing violently, added " under a misapprehension," when Sir G-eargn repeated sympathetically, "Heeau! 7ieeau\" Ocu readers will remember f.he recent meeting of the Martha Groldmiuing Cj npany, at which' one of the din-dors, IVfr J H. Nicbolls, called on his„.brother directors to retire. This they refused to do.lttibußh two additional names were a'Jded to tho directorate. We learn that Mr-Nichols has now sent in his resignation, on tho ground that the affairs of the compnny are not carried on in accordance with the articles of Association. It is Btated that Mr 10. Hesketh has given a legal opinion adverse to the working of the company.—Star. r : ; : . The Herald understands that ex-Detective Jeffrey, of Auckland, has again joined the police force at Wellington, commencing with the grade of third-class constable.