CORRESPONDENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 53, 3 March 1908, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

NATIVE LAND. *O THE EDltQji. Sir, — Private dealing in native lands is one of the things * that tko ; Government has set its face against— .not 'before it is time. The process by which native lands have usually been acquired is best known to the initiated.; • As a first step, the natives are induced to leaso their land for as long a term as possible. n ''he lessee having gained possession has the owners in his grasp. Tho improvidence of the native landowner 'is notorious. Soon the rent is disposed, of and . the native, beipg tempted to borrow, become? the prey of the moneylender, whoso interest charges quickly rub out the rent. The tenant then advises his landlord to get the restrictions on the sale removed so' that he may get rid of his liabilities, and enjoy some more- money, and the native landlord, desirous of getting out of the mess in which he is involved -, and en joy a little more "utu," ig ready to sell his birthright at any sacrifice^. Ever since the appointment of thft Native Commission, wnich is recommending that pi-ivate dealings in native land* 1 should cease, the Native Minister and his department- have been inundated ! with applications from lessees of native lands and the native owners to have the restrictions on the sale removed. The Hon. James Carroll, be it said to j his credit, has, { believe, in every case ! sternly refused. But quite recently by ; hook or by crook,, in some ways, -vrba&iis ! called a syndicate, in the Forty-Mile ; Bush, has- managed to gat round f > the •' four corners of the law, and drive tie ' proverbial coach and four through $n Act of Parliament by getting .the title to 120 acres, in the, centre, of. the famous Man'gatanoka block, duly ' registered. The price paid for the land, which, was bought from a Maori tvahine, was i$J.5 an acre, or £1800, but common replcjrfc has it that the land would readily fetph £25 p*r acre, so that«tnct syndicate has gained £1200 by the 1 " transaction. Bjib. there remains the important flaw ,*£n connection with the title, though. re&LS* tered, that the consent of the Native Minister to the sal© of tho land }las never, been obtained, and the restriction has not been removed .as the- Jaw demands. Moreover, it is cbnterided tl£at the registration of the title must have been effected by improper means, r-aa it was known that the. removal of Q»e restrictions was required before- the tjble could be completed or ..legally. issueiL Now that the title has been registered, the Chief Judge of the Native Land l ', Court, I" understand, has issued «a caveat to prevent further dealings wjth, tho land, and if this is opposed the facts will no doubt be duly disclosed before the Supreme Court. — I am, etb.» LOOKER-ON.J , . Wellington^ 28th. February, 1908 % « -'