The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, July 14, 1888. COMMON SENSE AT LAST.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 169, 14 July 1888, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Saturday, July 14, 1888. COMMON SENSE AT LAST.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s.

The prospect of an early amendment of the native land laws is becoming more hopeful, and there is a probability of a much wisei- state of things soon being assured. The subject has been so often reverted to that every argument for or against seems to have been completely threshed out, though after that has been done it is hard to conceive how the present insane state of things can have been allowed to continue. Mr Ballance now shines out as an opponent of the proposed legislation—of course it would not do for that gentleman to support his successor in office. But if he were just to compare his own policy with the promises that he made when in Gisborne, he must himself admit that he has been weighed in *he scales, and is found wanting. But in dealing with a question of this nature, it would be well were party feeling put aside, and the question received a ’'rational consideration. The existing native land laws are simply disgraceful, and any change must be for the better, though it is hoped that the new laws will be both satisfactory and permanent. Mr Mitchelson’s proposals have now reached a stage which bids well for their success, and every one in this district will earnestly wish it may be so. Our experience has been a bitter one in this respect; with the lands locked up there has been no hope of material progress, and the result has been a general stagnation,- The Maoris themselves have quite as much reason to joyously anticipate an altered state of things. They have too long been treated as though they had no more business capacity than children, which is a supposition the fallacy of which is well-known to many who have had dealings with the Maoris. It is an injustice to the latter to keep their hands tied as they have been in the past.