The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, JAN. 24, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume xxx, Issue 2424, 24 January 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, JAN. 24, 1888.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious ot political.

The Native Land Court which sat at Cambridge last week, presided over by Chief Judge Mac Donald, •was held for tho purposo of hearing applications from an important section of natives for a rehearing of the case brought beforo the Taupo Court in 1886 in which the titles of ownership over the Tauponuiata Block were investigated. It will bo remombered that the case was first submitted to tho Court which opened at Tapuaerararu in January 1886 under Judge Brookfield, and that tho lands brought beforo the Court comprised an immense area of country on the east and south of Taupo Lake, extending to the great volcanic mountains of Ruapehu, etc., and to the Kaimanawa Ranges. At the same time, acceding to the voluntary desires of the native chiefs in the great district known as the King Country, a still more important Land Court was appointed to sit at Otorohanga to investigate the tribal claims to the ownership of that region, which is styledunderthe comprehensive name of Rohe Potae, and so designated in the very perfect map prepared by the Survey Department from an exhaustive survey made by Mr Jj. Cussen. In this map, supplied to Major Mair, Judge of tho Otorohanga Court for his guidance in hearing the claims brought before him, there was included in the boundaries of the Rohe Potae, that portion of country lying to the west of Lake i'aupo called Maraeroa-Hurakia comprising several hundred thousand acres. The ring boundary of that considerable tract of virgin country was - clearly defined in the original application made by the live tribes interested for bringing the Rohe Potae under the Court, it was included in the official map provided for the use of the Court, and was also included in the gazette fixing the sittingof the Court appointed to investigate it, Thus, so far, there was ilie official recognition of the block* forming part and parcel of the domains of the inhabitants of the King Country, so called. There wore no other applications from any other natives for this Barticul?'- to bebrr-;^!/'

the jurisdiction of the Court. But it is n curious fact, nevertheless, that the map supplied to the Tuupo Court delineating the Tauponuiati also took in the land on the west side of the lake, thus encroaching on the Kohi; Potae, the territory of the Ngatimaniupoto and their eotribes. On the strength of this last map, a piece of what can only he stigmatised as sharp practice, was perpetrated liy the Taupo natives led by Te Heuheu in his turn acting under certain influences which it will be necessary also to allude to. They preferred claims to the lands on the west of the lake, and secured their recognition by the Court. These proceedings were unknown to the Ngatimaniapotos ; that is they had no previous intimation of the line of action Te Heuheu intended to take with respect to that land, and it was only on receipt of a pressing message from Hitiri and Rangianini, who were present at Taupo and saw this act of robbery as they called it, that the Ngatimaniapoto chiefs and people became aware of what was going on. As was indisputably shown atCambridgelastweek byTaonui and others the latter were at the time engaged in other court cases at Cambridge, but immediately telegraphed to the presiding judge of the Taupo Court, to hold over the investigation of the claims to Marueroi., and Hurakia until their arrival in a few days. No heed was paid to their very just request ; on the contrary, when they reached Taupo, they found their lands had been awarded to Te Heuheu and his people, without an opportunity being afforded for counter claims being made by the objectors, despite the indignant protest from the old chief Eangianini, than whom no more honourable maulives. Not only was Taonni informed by the Court that ho was too late in the field, but ho was treated with extraordinary harshness by the judge, and subjected to unnecessary iudignities. Hence arose the difficulties encountered recently by the second Otorohanga Land Court in completing the investigation of tho Robe Potae lands; for the chiefs absolutely refused, under the sense of gross wrong, to proceed with tho work of tho latter Court until the Government granted a re-hoaring in the matter of the Maraeroa, for which they had made frequent applications without avail. When the history of this business conies to be sifted, as it will be sooner or later, some remarkable revelations ought to be made manifest, which will by uo means redound to tho credit of Mr Ballance and his agents. None tho less will it be interesting to the public to know the relations of the Messrs Grace, a trio of brothers whose connection with this and other Maori land transactions, through the influence of their native wives, have become notorious. Mr W. Grace, who held the appointment of Land Purchase Agent, was present through the sittings of the Taupo Court and was indefatigable in prompting tho local claimants as to the course they should take ; Mr L. Grace, late M.H.R., who is married to Te Heuheu's daughter, and who always gave his vote on the side of the late Government, was also conspicuous in Court: whilst Mr J. Grace, notwithstanding the fact of his personal interests in the claimants' case being well known, acted as official interpreter to the Court. It is a generally accepted fact that the judgement delivered by the Court was furnished by Mr Ballance by telegraph to Taupo, and was declared by the judge, Mrßrookfield, to beillegal. It was subsequently altered to a Dictum of the Court, and it is a remarkable feature in the affair that the late judge himself, having since retired from the service, appeared before tho Cambridge Court last ; week as counsel on behalf of the applicants for rehearing and shewed, on four distinct grounds, the illegality of the Taupo Court. ; Mr Grace is declared to have ' stated at Taupo, when the illegal procedure of the Court was being ■ discussed, that Mr Ballance would bring in a Bill to validate the Court's action. There are strong 1 reasons for saying that the late Government through their officer, ' Mr W. Grace, entered into direct negociations with the Taupo natives ' for the purchase of this block, and 1 made cash advances to individuals ■ in the face of the fact that the title 1 was under dispute and no indefeas- ! ible order of ownership had yet been ' sanctioned by the Court. There ' has throughout been strong efforts " made to burke open enquiry, and to ' favour one section of the native ' people at the expense of another; ' but, the aggrieved party, failing the means taken by them up to now, ' will have recourse to the Supreme 3 Court or to Parliament, in which 5 case the utter rottenness of the "' Native Dopurlmeni will receive ' further exposition and its complete " abolition be made unmistakeably apparent.