The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, AUG. 28, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2517, 28 August 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, AUG. 28, 1888.

j£nu*il <md cxfict justice to <ill men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

We announced last -week that the application to the Supreme Court by.Taonui, and other chiefs of the Ngatimaniapoto tribe, for a writ of prohibition to restrain the Chief Judge of the Native Land Court from signing and issuing certificates of ownership in respect to the Taupo-nui-atia Block, had been refused by His Honour Judge Gillies. It will bo remembered that the title to the block in question was investigated by a Land Court which sat at Taupo in January, 1886,. under Judges Brookfield and Scannel. Against the decisions of that Court the Ngatimaniapoto tribe protested, and, in our opinion as ■well as in that of many competent observors, they did so Tory justly. The rosult of the action taken in the Supreme Court, however, was adverse to the plaintiff chiefs and the decisions of the Land Court were upheld. We have before reviewed the

peculiar features in connection with this dispute, which is also known as the Marairoa-ITurakia case. It is not, however, our present purpose to go over the ground again ; the task would probably be a hopeless one where it is sought to obtain redress for groat wrongs inflicted on the weak under our present system of administration. Our Auckland correspondent informs us that Judge Gillies' judgment created much surprise. But we do not hesitate to say that if the history of the Taupo-nui-alia case could bo honestly written, the irregularities of the Court that sat upon it justly recorded, and the pernicious influences of a shameless Native Office with its intrigues and unprincipled tools, exposed, there would then be more than mere surprise created in the public mind. Even hardened colonials would blush for shame. Before the last elections there were expressions of determination on many sides to abolish the Native Oftiee ; none vowed more strongly than the member for Waipa to sweep the rotten thing out of existence. Nothing of the sort has been done, however, and the Department, with its iniquities, still exists. The evil deeds of a nation bring a sure Nemesis in their wake; and it may be thus with us at this moment. At least, a time may come when we shall possess an honorable and representative Legislature that will not suffer such things as this Taupo affair to be perpetrated in open day.