The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, August 18, 1888. OF TWO EVILS, WHICH IS THE GREATER?

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 184, 18 August 1888, Page 2

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

Saturday, August 18, 1888. OF TWO EVILS, WHICH IS THE GREATER?

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

Again does this unfortunate district find itself a victim to the insane actions of a muddling and incompetent Parliament, which has neither the firmness to take definite action nor the wisdom to achieve the best result of a doubtful bargain. We are averse to following the lines of some whose every effort is to gain a desire by injuring the prospects of the district in every possible way : that, of course, is a blemish on the community which is certain to continue while it is tolerated by those who must eventually be the sufferers. But we must say that we believe the latest phase in connection with our harbor is a heavy and most undeserved blow upon the district, an infliction which will re-act seriously upon the interests of town and country. It is but another illustration of the glaring inconsistency and arrant ignorance of the people’s elect, —they can waste days and weeks in intriguing and bartering for the construction of some of the most monstrous railway lines, and for which we have to pay dearly, but when it comes to considering the rights of a district like our own, there is not the slightest compunction in treating it in the most arbitrary and relentless manner.

While avoiding references that tend to further injure the district, we have lamented that the harbor works were ever commenced, and certainly have not vet been convinced that it would pay the ratepayers to carry on the works only for the purpose of accommodating vessels like the Australia. Had the works been stopped when the first Parliamentary interference took place we believe that, though a bitter pill to swallow, it would have been the best thing that could have happened. But as the works proceed rapidly, all the arguments that held good on the first occasion are clearly losing weight. And further, we must strongly resent the interference of those two selfish legislators, Sir George Whitmore and Mr Ormond, who care not one jot what becomes of the district, provided they can evade the payment of rates. One political turncoat at least has proved to what depths a certain class of men can descend in their wily efforts to shuffle off their own responsibility on to the backs of people who have not been able to fatten on their country. Were it not for the cunning artifices in which some politicians are adepts, there are many “ State pensioners ” who would be earning their own living instead of being burdens upon the over-taxed people of the colony. Shall we name them ? No, it is quite needless. We warn the working men of Poverty Bay, the struggling settlers, or those who are in business, against allowing themselves to be entrapped into a plot to enable Whitmore and Ormond, the absentee squatters, to shuffle out of their rates : the more generous runholders will give their support against these tyrannical .landsharks who would ride rough-shod over us—over those who have to contribute towards the cost of the Parliamentary sinecures which are held by these men. On the harbor question we have always been at variance with our contemporary, but when the weaker taxpayers are thus threatened, any journal or public man who is not a traitor to the district and to the colony must

speak out openly. Now what is the position? To anythinking taxpayer it must appear a most unsatisfactory and disastrous one—far more serious than would be the actual stoppage of the works. It is a positive scandal to the colony that it is possible for a promising district like our own to be crippled in this shameful manner, and we cannot think that our Parliamentary representative is free from blame. The indecision is ruinous to the best interests of the district, and certainly no honest opponent of the continuation of the works can view it with favor It is neither satisfactory to the one side nor to the other. There are the works, machinery, etc.; and the hands we understand, are to be discharged to-day, and yet we do not know what is to be the result. It is time something definite were done one way or the other : if the works are to be stopped for anv long period, the ratepayers should know it—whatever is to be the decision it is high time it was recorded, and things placed on a settled basis. Then might we have united feeling on public questions whic| thus only can be solved. No matter how things go, there is an uphill fight before us. and the district’s difficulties can best be encountered by combined effort• all true citizens or settlers nan have but the one object, and though there may be differences they' should never be allowed to bring odium upon the district. The sooner this harbor trouble is definitely decided one way or the other the better it will be for all concerned, whether they are opponents or supporters of the work.

Since the above was in type' we learn that a telegram was despatched to Sir George Grey by Messrs W. Maude, Uarlaw Smith, Allan McDonald, and R. Cooper, members of the East Coast Colonisation Committee, appealing to the honorable gentleman to use bis influence to get the work continued, and thus prevent an tn any men being thrown out of employment. To this Sir George Grey replied that Government would take up the Bill no sa to get it paseed thia fieeaion. and the work will proceed. From that ws must understand that Sir George Grey has brought influence to bear on a point on which our own member was helplesn, and that the works are to go on as usual. The argument is_ certainly not a good one, though the intention is excellent, and in any case Sir George Grey is entitled to thanks’for his promptitude. Anything, however, that will settle the present indefinite slate of affairs should be welcomed, as it is dangerous to keep the thing hanging in the balance as it has been for the last, few weeks, It inspires a general want of confidence in the district, so that it is high time we knew what tn expect, one way or the other. Whatever it is lei us resist this attempted evasion on the pari of Whitmtre and Gruiomi. thn ahre.'tes Squatters.

NATIVE LAND LEGISLATION. ] The difficulties which are besetting the passing of the Native Land Bills sho "■ that when once a principle is given up it is hard to r-gain it. When in 18S0 the Native Land Administration Act, stopping all dealings with Native land except in a very cumbersome'way, was passed, it was at once felt that a great injury had been inflicted upon this district, and subsequent experience has proved that feeling to be only too real. An instant check was given to settlement, and the money that was formerly circulated in the negotiations for purchase and lease of native land circulated no longer. The natives were not only unable to pay their debts already incurred to the store keepers, but experienced difficultin raising money for their needs. Even the Maoris themselves felt the hardship of the thing and failed to understand why there should be one law for the pakeha and another for the Maori, in a country where all are supposed to have equal rights. No one can controvert the right of a Government to protect those of its subjects who are laboring under disabilities, but after the working, or rather failure to work, of the Administration Act, it must be acknowledged that this protection can be carried too far. After only twelve months’ experience this had become so patent, that it was absolutely necessary some change should be made; the Government of the day was forced to take the matter up and it is only the accident of Sir Harry Atkinson beine

Premier that will give to his Government the credit of removing this blot from our statutes. The proposed alteration in the law has been designated as Freelrade in native land, but this is merely a misnomer. The sale and lease of the land is still hedged round

with the old restrictions, so as to prevent fraud tipon the natives. The deeds are required to be interpreted, explained, signed, and attested in a certain manner. The consideration roust be paid In monev and must be adequate. Sufficient land must be reserved for the natives' own use, and to ensure the faithful performance of these conditions, the transaction must be certified to as valid by the Frauds Commissioner. Perhaps the only real alteration made In the former law is to make it easier for a purchaser to complete his title after it has been certified, and this no doubt has been founded upon past experience. In the face of all these precautions it is extremely difficult to understand the native opposition to the Bills, although we think, contrary to the opinion of some of our contemporaries, that the Maori has just as much right to urge Ws objections as the pakeha, and the fact of his skin being brown makes no greater sin. But the times urgently require that this legislation shall be carried through, and this of itself has overcome all obstacles and the Bills are now likely to become law, The principal features of the Bills are still retained, and some of the stagnation of trade must soon be removed when the natives are given an opportunity to pay their just debts and the surrounding lands are thrown open for useful Settlement.