THE LAND CLAIMANTS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume I, Issue 31, 18 November 1843, Page 3

THE LAND CLAIMANTS.

From the digest we have given in our last o f our latest intelligence" from home, the Land Claimants may have every confidence in anticipating an immediate settlement of their claims, and that on much more liberal terms than -those held .out to them by Mr. Shortland. It is true that the Land Bill of Sir George Gipps has been confirmed, and it being so, there is little reason to hope for its repeal so long as the present Colonial despot holds sway over us, but bad as that Bill may be made, it is happily so framed as to admit of an equally favourable interpretation. Although it contains a clause limiting each claim to 2560 acres, yet this to an enlightened and liberal intentioned mind can be made to apply to each claim, and not to each claimant, as has been done by our present oppressors. But even should this clause be unable to support this liberal interpretation, the Bill gives the Governor with the advice of his Council power to award a greater number of acres, should he deem it proper to do so. In fact, to a mind rightly disposed, this Bill contains ample powers to afford to claimants a liberal arrangement, and our private correspondence gives us every reason to believe that in our new Governor we shall meet with such a person. We believe he would willingly have allowed the claimants all their lands upon yielding to Government a small tax for the same ; which certainly would hjwjg been the best arrangement for both parties. That the arrangement however will be made liberal we do not doubt, and we ground our favourable anticipations more particularly on the fact that the surplus land is not to be seized on by the Government, as our ruthless local rulers intended to have done, and for the accomplishment of which they bent all their energies — the Lion's share therefore being given up, the Claimants and Natives are left to adjust the matter between them. Such being the case, Government have now no further interest in swindling the Claimants out of their land. Indeed it will now be for the interest oi Government to allow all the lands to fall into the hands of the claimants, rather than give it back to the natives. Were it possible to suppose Government possessed of a conscience, we should think that shame alone would prevent them making further objections to the claimants' titles on the ground at least of having paid too small a price for the land, when the Government themselves are in the habit of purchasing the lands from the natives at the rate of Six Pence per acre, while they are compelling the claimants to pay 5s. and even 8s. per acre — was ever injustice more palpable ? Where is now the boasted protection of the natives ? Friends of the natives think of this,' and say if the Government who could thus act by the natives are worthy of being longer entrusted with the monopoly of purchasing all their lands. It is plain that nothing can save the natives, or secure justice to them and prosperity to the country, but their full rights as Englishmen, and the liberty to sell their land to whom they please and for the best prices which they can obtain. It were strange indeed if they could not find buyers above t!ie Government price of Sixpence per acre. But we have digressed from our subject, vhich was to recommend to the Claimants to hold themselves prepared to prove all their expenditure connected with their land in every, possible shape, in order to found a claim for full compensation out of their land, which we have every reason to suppose will be granted, and in the meantime arrange or conclude nothing in reference thereto until the arrival of the new Governor.