NORFOLK ISLANDERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 239, 2 July 1908, Page 7

NORFOLK ISLANDERS.

.• ——$ ■ . A BIT OF OLD HISTORY. A. LETTER FROM SIR GEORGE GREY. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) Sydney, July 1. Mr. Quintal, from' Norfolk Island, laid before tho Governor papers in support of tho plea of a number of evicted Islanders, that thoir houses wero given them by Queen Victoria in 1556. ! Tho m'ost important is ono from Governor Denison to' Sir Goorgc Grey, sent when the island was being settled. It withdraws tho suggestion to send an officer to regulate tho allotment of land to families, as tho Islanders themselves had placed a magistrate in authority who could do it.' He says: "I have directed Mr. Gregorie, with tho oxception of a few reservos for public purposos, to divide tho wholo island betwoen the newcomers, and tho object in so doing is to check any attempt which might bo mado' on the' part of tho inhabitants of tho Australian colonies to establish thomselve3 on tho islands. "It .is essential that tho land should be transferred to newcomors in such manner as to give tliom tho right to deal with it as their own. Legislative interference from colonial governments should bo kopt out." Instructions wero given to Lieut. Gregorio to sot asido a little public land and glebo land, and that tho remainder • shoukl bo handed over to different,' heads of families.