THE NATIVE COMMISSION.

Press, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4685, 7 August 1880, Page 3

THE NATIVE COMMISSION.

[By Te-kgbaph.] [BBOM OTTB OWN OOBBBSPO-TDBN-.] WELLINGTON, Auguat 6. The Weßt Coast Native Commission's third report was tabled at thia three morning. The previous reports exhausted the historical aspect of the West Coast difficulty, and traced the existing condition of affairs to their causes. The present report gives the details of the complications, and suggests measures for the remedy. The Commissioners disouss the effeot of the proclamations by whioh lands on the West Coast were confiscated in 1865, and the provision they made for surveying the lauds of local Natives while those of the rebels were taken as a penalty for disloyalty. They affirm the legality of the confiscation as beyond dispute, and explain how they asserted this position from the first, refusing even to allow lawyers, and certain harpies who hoped to get money out of the West Coast difficulties, to argue the question in their Court. The report of their proceedings gives summaries of the quality of land actually reserved, promised or awarded by successive Governments to the Natives. This amounts substantially 2» 213,520 acres, chiefly given or promised by the Stafford Government before 1870. To this must hi added -he 25,000 acres recommended by the Commission to be reserved on the Waimate Plains, and a. like quantity at Parihaka. This brings tip the gross total returned to the Natives between White Cliffs and Waitotara to 260,000 acres and upwards for a population of about 3000 souls. An estimate is then furnished of the value of these reserves, at the present time amounting to a Bum of £638,535, ample provision for such small remains of the population now occupying the country in question. Reasons are given at length, which the Commissioners contend justify their reoommendatioßß as to Waimate and Parihaka, whioh they show to be in siaiot conformity with the intentions of the late Government. The system of "takoha" (Sir Donald M'Lean's offer of 5s and 7b 6d which was never accepted) is recommended to be discontinued, the large amount of reserves practically meeting_ all claims which the Natives are fairly entitled to prefer. The Commissioners then describe a few special cases as typical of a larger class in which the Government has not acted fairly with friendly Natives, and in which wrongs exist which ought to be redressed. Of these the Stratford reserve and the Hikorangi military settlement are two of the moat remarkable and least creditable to the Governments whose officers were agents in them—the Stafford and Atkinson Governments. The report then deals with the question of the future settlement of the surplus land, repeating the caution as to the belief in the existence of a large territorial revenue to come out out of it. It is stated that on the "Waimate plains there will be about 20,080 acres of first-clasa open land, and 80,000 acres of bnih land. The Parihaka block will afford 15,000 acres of open andeOOO of forest land ; a total say of 120,000 acres, subject to a reduction of perhaps 10,000 acres. The gross value of this for sale at the present time ia estimated by competent authorities at somewhat less than £750,000. Thia will inolude all land available for sale and settlement within the confiscated boundaries, and all between White Cliffs and Waitotara. It will

require most careful administration to make it cover the cost of acquisition to the colony. . The Commissioners express a decided opinion that the matter should be settled by the cooperation of Te Whiti, whose strange influence is all powerful with the larger part of the Coast population. They consider that it is useless to ignore the fact, and would be ehudish to allow a mere question of dignity to prevent the necessary approaches between the G-overnment and that strange man, who has undoubtedly kept the peace for v* on that coast for many long years, and even now seems determined that the solution of the problem shall be effected without bloodshed. The Commissioners then proceed to offer suggestions as to the legislative aotion needed to enable the Government to unravel all the intricate oomplioations whioh have to be disposed of in detail before the individual grievanoea which the Commission has exposed, and the various promises it has acknowledged on behalf of the G-overnment, can be finally adjusted. The report concludes as follows :— "Last of all, if there is one thing that day by day becomes clearer than another to our minds, it ia that Te Whiti ahould not be left in his present isolation, and that serious and persistent efforts' should be yet made to influence him. Thia Weet Coast question will never be settled, unless indeed we do it by a resort to force, except by some arrangement with him. To fill our gaol with priconers, not for crimes, but for a| political offence, in which there is no sign of criminal intent, is not only a most harrasaing and perplexing process, but the worßt of it is that it does not advance the one thing that ia really wanted— peace upon the Coast. There is no statesmanship merely in acts of force and acts of repression. Such acts can only be justified on the grounds of political necessity, and in selfdefence, but even they often stand in the way of the aolution of difficulties which wise statesmanship, if left to choose, would have solved in another way. It seems to us that the time has come when, if our suggestions are accepted by your Excellency, instructions can and should be given to Te Whiti of the manner in whioh it is proposed to deal with the disputed districts, and he should be invited to concur in that sharing of them with your Excellenoy, which he appeared prepared to acquiesce in at the date of his interview with Mr McKay. 'But be should be made to understand that in any case the Government is going to take ite share, but in what manner seems to us a matter for consideration of your Excellency's advisers. We only venture to suggest that no time should be lost in doing so."