THE OPENING OF THE KING COUNTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1789, 22 December 1883, Page 2

THE OPENING OF THE KING COUNTRY.

[FROM OUR OWN COItHErtI'ONDKNT.I Tjik insult of Mr Biycc's mooting w ith the natives may be consideied cminiontly satisfactory. iMie Ngatihauas who aic the principal objoctois to the survey have failed completely to give any good leason for their objection, with one exception each one lepoated what the pie\ious spe.ikei had .said viz. "J object to the .sun ey, ] will survey my own piece." Mr Biyce could not considei this a good or sound reason for obstructing the work. If, as he said— these people had any claim on the land, there could not be the slightest objection to the sm\ey being earned out and the land adjudicated on by the Com t. It is very evident their interest in the block is very small indeed, and e\ist& only in their own imagination, if it exist* even there, which I very'much doubt, for none know better than they that their claim is very little indeed. A half caste 1 enurked to me on Tuesday, after the meeting in the hall, that it was very haid that the natnes who object to the survey should bear all the odium and blame, while the unsciuputous Europeans who are the hustigntoib should got off scot free. In this I entirely agme with him. Mr Biyce since taking office has set himself resolutely to woilc to end the native difficulty ; now that he has quite accomplished his' de&iie, companies and their agents and disappointed land shaik,s finding their interests likely to puffer, have endeavoured by every meaim in their power to frustrate his plans, The natives, however, who .have learned by expmicuoe not to trust these gentry, pay 'very little attention to them. No sooner is this difficulty smoothed over than another crops up. Finding the natives are determined to allow the survey to go on, many private individuals'' are endeavouiing to get the work for themselves. That of course is prefectly fair, but they should try fair means to accomplish their purpose. When Mr Percy Smith told the natives the cos>t of the survey! would' be £1000 they told them it could not be done for the money, and that it would cost a great deal moie in the end, that this would be merely a sketch survey &c, thus endeavouring, to prevent the natives agreeing to the terms of the Government, ' hoping by this means to get employment for themselves. However, it ' was explained to the natives that the Government did not want to make any profit out of the. survey,- but would only charge the natives the actual cost of the work. It is a matter, for- congratulation • to both Maoris and Europeans that the new Land Act has put a stop to the wholesale trafficing in land by companies and speculators, for under the new act, a 1 man of limited means 'can now compete with the monied men Nvhen the titles ' are proved. While that- undesirable condition of affairs existed one cannot wonder at the natives being .suspicious of Europeans, but it is 1 to be hoped, .were long a better feeling,, will exist be.twepn,! the two, races. Doubtless when ■ the" sub-divisions ' cbme to be made there will, 'and should be, plenty of work, for 'private for I think' 'it only fair •they should get sotae portion of it! During their stay in Kihikini I only saw two cases of drunkness arnoiig the natives.

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