NATIVE LANDS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 79, 5 April 1910, Page 8

NATIVE LANDS.

! PROGRESS OF SETTLEMENT. m Regulations under the Native Land Act of last session have been drafted, and it is anticipated that they will be gazetited in a day or two. Their chief ieature will be the constitution of varioiuj circuits for the Native Laud Court Judges. In the past the Judgeb have held sittings ut various places, and have continued their bittings until tho business before the court was disposed of. That i-ystem, it i."> considered in some quarters, conduced to tht development of the "taihoa" f eeliug airing the natives who bad business with the court. There was no need for haste : the court was there, and what was not done yesterday could be done just as well the day after to-morrow. The result was, in many cases, the banging up of business and the waste of time and money by those who were concerned in the business before the court. That is to be done away with. The court will sit at a certain place on a certain date, and for a definite period, and anything left undone will have to await next sitting of the court for it« completion. By this means it is hoped to "speed up the Maoris who nave business, and transform procrastination into legitimate haste. Enquiries made among those interested in the subject go to show that the position of native land settlement is fairly satisfactory at tlie presen* time. The new Act is designed to facilitate the settlement, by way of lease or ! sale, of land which has for many yeara j been lying idle, chiefly for the reason that it had not been clothed with a title, and that its owners had not been decided by the courts, or, further, because the multitude of owners constituted a bar to the carrying out of arrangements for its leaj« to a European. It is gathered, however, tl»at in very many instances the land has been put on one side in a very lu-ge number of canes, and satisfactory (though technically illegtl) arrarrgementH have been made between the parties concerned for the leading of timber-cutting rights and of land lor occupation purposes. Meanwhile, under the new dispensation, the court will fiist de\ote its Nici^ies to the task of partitioning and giving a title to the large are.w of land north of Whangarei and inland on the East Coast. Thes-e are the chief portions of the inland where the court's services are chiefly required in this respect, and tne work will be put in hand as soon as the regulations are gazetted.

Mr. Sampson Williams, who had been a resident of Wellington for many years, died this morning, aged 57. His death was not unexpected, as he had been ill in bed at bis residence in Sutherlandroad, Melroce, for months. For some years the dece*f>ed wok a builder in the city, and afterwards he was one of the city building inspector)*. He has left a widow and a family of three sons and two daughters. A man engaged on the contract for the new Post Office has been "monoplnn. ing" in a manner that certainly look* perilous. He stands on a small block of .stone, which ■ a huge crane lifts and mwM about. The stone is clamped on two edges ; it is held in position by the lateral pre^ure of two non hook*. To the bystander* it eeenis that a flaw in the block might easily put the rider in an awkward predicament, but he doe* not appear to be the least perturbed by the risk that he taken. In foot, he rather xeeni* (o enjoy the wonderment which hi* performance create*. Members and fiiends of lho Wellington South DNtiirt Cricket Club aie notified by adveitisement in this i*sii<> that .< & regressive euchre party will be held in t. Thorau'a Schoolroom to-morrow •vtaing in aid of. the iondft of .the cl»b.