WELLINGTON NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 110, 9 May 1895, Page 5

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(BY TELEGRAPH. — OVrS CORRES PO.VDENT.)

Wellington, this day.

NATIVE LANDS ADMINISTRATION.

In an interesting leader on the administration of native lands, the " Times " says: •'Nob long ago, regulations for the incorporation of Maoris owning tribal lands, andfor theconduct of their own committees, were gazetted. It is a loug-iooked-for sign that ab laefc common-sense has conquered that system of 'blundering and plundering ' which has disgraced our statute hook, and made our maladministration of native lands a by-word and a scoff throughout the English-speaking world. It is ended. The system now abandoned bad no redeeming feature. It demoralised the natives, it contaminated the European?, ib encouraged every species of vice and fraud, while it discounted honesty and fair dealing. The lands of fcho native* were a3 absolutely beyond the reach of the great mass of this community as if they had been situated on the Colorado plains. The twin doctrines of free trade id native lands and individual dealings with tribal estates, have been the curse of this colony. Directly or indirectly, they have been the source of every strife between the races. We will give an illustration which will show the difference between the two methods in one direction. Supporters of the old method always held that titles should be individualised : that is, every Maori should be allotted a distinct and separate piece of common estate, which should then be his alone, to do with as he chose. Now, take a block of 20,000 acres, owned by, cay. 250 men, women and children. To individualise these titles would require weeks, if nob months, of attendance before the Native Land Court, with its daily fees, costs of lawyers and agents, and all expenses attendant upon application forrehearineorappeal, and possibly repetition of the first hearing, the cost of 250 orders, cost of Purveying the block infco 250 allotments of different size 3 and shapes, cost of fencing. By this time the value of the land would be more than gone, the native owners would have 250 pieces of land without a single road to give access to any part, and most of these allotments would be absolutely useless for any purpose of settlement, either to owner or purchaser. Under the new system, the 250 owners are incorporated, the land is surveyed for settlement and not for subdivision, roads are laid off, and the land (less any reserves made for the native owners) is thrown open for settlement. No long proceedings in the Conrb, no appeals or re-hearing, no lawyers' or agents' costs, no expenses for food while attending tbe.Conrfc, no loss of time, no descent into a life of debauchery, no costly orders, and expenses of surveys restricted to such as will open the land and make ib available for productive occupation,