THE Wairarapa Mercury. SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1868.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume II, Issue 62, 7 March 1868, Page 2

THE Wairarapa Mercury. SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1868.

The Native Land Court will be held in Greytown on Wednesday next, the 11th March and there are a large number of cases for hearing*. If the eases are not carried through more rapidly and decided with less difficulty the session of the Court will be a curse to both European and Native rather than a blessing-. The natives will treat the proceeding 1 of the Court with contempt when they find that they are brought here to haggle over their claims without any decision beingarrived at. An enormous quantity of land was "brought into" the Land Court at its last sittings here but it was not " brought through " and continues

still in dispute. In fact such seems to be the fate of all who burn their fingers by dabbling in this quasi-law. The difficulty of bringing “ through ” the Land Court now is proverbial, and lucky is the individual who after protracted hearings manages to get succesfully clear of the Court. As a striking instance of this we quote the following from the Wanganui “Times” which says:— Out of nearly sixty new cases brought before the Court, now closed at Wanganui, only one could be entertained so as to pass through. The remainder was held over in consequence ofthe difficulties of which the Native Lands Act of last session, and red—tapeism thrown in the way of the Court. The Natives concerned can’t understand it, and have written to Mr Richmond to say that they will prefer no more claims. They are anxious to lease or sell such portions of their land as they cannot otherwise turn to profitable account. Mr E. T. Woon, Native Land Agent, has 'negotiated the sale of 500 acres unjoining the Parakino Block to Mr John Morgan. Much more land would be in the market were it not for the difficulty of passing it through the Native Lands’ Court.