MONDAY, AUGUST 30. 1886.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 203, 30 August 1886, Page 2

MONDAY, AUGUST 30. 1886.

The new Native Land Act will have a very important bearing upon the progress and settlement of Auckland— whether for better or worse remains to

be seen. Mr E. G. B. Moss, solicitor, of Tauranga, who has had considerable experience in native land transactions, has published a well digested review of the Act, in which he predicts that it will end in failure :

By the new Act the previous method of purchasing from the owners share by share, as they chose to sell or lease, has been prohibited under penalties of one year's imprisonment, and foifeiturc of interest to the Crown. When the owners of a block desire to sell or lease, six at least must apply to a Commissioner (to be appointed, of course) who will advertise for nominations by the different owners. The seven owners receiving the largest number of nominations will then be registered as the Committee of the block. The Commissioner on being requested so to do by the Committee shall sell or lease the block by public auction in the same way that Crown lands arc disposed of. Any owners who object to their interests being dealt with by the ComJ mittee can within 30 days after its election give notice to the Commissioner, and the Native Land Conrt shall cut off a part of the land for the objectors.

Mr Moss points out that under the old system, when native interests were bought up as individual owners desired to sell, it took months and sometimes years to complete a transaction. Natives will only sell when they are in immediate want of money, and one dissentient under the new law can stop a purchase until his interest is cut out. A.s, after all the expenditure of time and money in these negotiations rtfi settler would still have to purchase the land at public auction, it may be tak n for granted that the new law en s the system of private purchase of native lands, unless the chiefs and co nmittees fall in with the system an I take steps to bring their lands for sine, in place of submitting to the price offered by the Crown. The new law, in fact, practically removes the opposition of European purchasers out of the way of the Government, although possibly native agents, finding their employment as representatives of European purchasers gone, may find occupation in acting for native owners against the Government monopoly.

The new system will undoubtedly prove a very serious barrier to the opening up of the country if the Government do not carry on the acquisition of these lands in the interests of settlement with vigour. And it is questionable whether Parliament will grant them funds for such a purpose. The House last session gave a liberal vote for the purchase of lands along the route of the trunk railway, but to outlying settlements like Tauranga it will

prove a very serious drawback if, through the indifference of the Government, a complete embargo is placed upon the extension of settlement. The law, administered by a Government inimical to or negligent of Northern interests, may prove a very serious obstacle to the opening up of the country. Its operation ought, therefore, to be very closely scrutinised.