AN INJUSTICE TO THE NATIVES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 698, 24 December 1909, Page 3

AN INJUSTICE TO THE NATIVES.

Sir,—TKo 'Minister for Public Works lias ia« | trftduccd during tho: dying hours ot l'arlia-«ij ment a Bill entitled tho llotoiti .Validation 2:Bill, which proposes to,ileal with some valu- . -' able-Native lnnd l illegally taken bv tho Crown idr oleetric; lighting: purposes. at. Okore, Koto-: • iti,,and Itetbrua. Tho Jind taken fronts what lr -i: | admitted to be the finest trout-fishing water.m > tho EWorld, so :say., nothing, of the splendid wrUor ■! i power: and' scenery,"- For-: many' years' tho "Na- < tive owners were paid Od. or is. ( apiccc bv tho numerous "tourists and anglers visiting this:: ■ delectable spot, and surely no one ever grudged, the.owners this small charge, which'included >' guiding " fees, and was, the only rovenuo our unjust legislation avowed; them' to obtain ', ■from the ,19,000-acre Taheke: Block. About ten years- ago the Crown arbitrarily; and unduly strained; the meaning of tho-Publio /' Works 'Act by taking a load through tho property.. to ' nowhere In jarticnlar, and notices f ' j were, posted warning Europeans from paying the; small. charges made by. the Natives, thus' \ depriving ■ them of their only means of live- *• lilioodi ! tne -principal ;chief being, a man who l was dangerously wounded and permanently, disabled while fighting for his; Queen' in. thai Maori War. Extensivo olechio plant was crecK x 'i ed,".'which "brings this" Crown .'an over-increasing, / ! revenue. Subsequently, an attempt was mad« ' to. fix the compensation, and the Crown Agent recommended compensation at. the. rate of X.l per»acre for 46 odd . acres of land,- which • Te- v liable estate agents wore prepared to swoar .> they.iivb.uld give .£300; to iMO freehold. -• i: v. ■, ■ • Recently,, after tho Supremo Court had clared'that tho land had beon. unlawfully pro- jil claimed, the Crown Prosecutor . prococdcd ' against tho Nativo. owners for trespass, . .. ingi .£IOO damages, though' the owners most,. ,carefully abstained from 'interfering-'with, tlw . pliint' or officers in'the sltglitCst !were , merely asserting their; rights. This caw was-dismissed'by tho Court of Appeal; without ~. .the 1 counsel for the Natives, being",called upqS; ' .to; reply. . [/ It. is feared: that the Validation-Bill, will: priK'. judice>tho Natives' rights, who have'bepn put■ to great 1 expeune, and been deprived of several > ,■ ..hiilldrfid .pounds per; annum for inanyO'Citfs,;;. : It is therefore earnestly hoped that mbmberS .j '•ol Parliament' will', protect these defenceless; people, and insist that , tho question- of, com- - pensationvmay be the/same manner as'Europoan lands similarly taken. . Experience: had taughtthom clearly, that th«, seldom.'receive 1 full justice -when--"such mat-: j, tors'are dealtrWith -by a Native, Land Court.. .. whom, thej lightly or wronplv fear ma\ ,bo , unconsciously biased, > and liable to be lookptl,, upon by 'severe' disfavour ,by the Govcrnmeht, , should ho'refuso to accept: tho; Court valua- . J tion. . , . , All. they, beg and pray. for. is. that a ■ judge, 'of-thb Supremo Court and assessors chpsen: |by ; ; :'."- each ,party.;niay ;dotermine,the;, compenßation.r;;fy -■■■Thanking' you on behalf of t lie ov:iicrs,-:-!. , am> etC " ' . AfcAWA. : Wellington, • Decomber 21, 1909. > [Wo foar our'correspondent lias made .hi* , protest' too - late.]',