Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1864.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 176, 27 May 1864, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1864.

The question of the legality or illegality the occupation of Native lands lapses into the more important question of the interests of Hawke’s Bay. Whether or not the illegal combination of a few insignificant but interested and unscrupulous men will prove strong enough to withstand the general outcry which has arisen against their proceedings remains to be seen, —proceedings which' if allowed to pass unchallenged, and to ripen into maturity, will utterly and for ever extinguish any chance of ultimately settling this Province in a satisfactory way. It is however, sufficient to say, in reference to the law of the case, that whether the Native Land Purchase Ordinance has or has not become a dead letter in practice, it remains yet a living letter on our Statute Book, and we must look upon the non-enforcement of it more as the consequence of the weakness and conniption of the Government, than as an indication of the law in question having fallen into disuetude. It is rather remarkable, that that Ordinance is about one of the wisest we have got, and yet its wisdom is no protection against its violation upon occasion of the requirements of any person who likes. A very dangerous precedent certainly, to say the least of it.

The Herald is loud in its patriotic requirements of more troops ami further protection, &c., for Hawke’s Bay,—a species of patriotism, we need hardly say, about as disinterested as the religion of the individual who fell in love with the diamond eyes of Juggernaut. We have not yet learned to protect ourselves by a respect for existing laws, and we are not, therefore, entitled to expect further assistance from others, and so long as a small clique of people are allowed illegally to occupy the heart of this Province undisturbed, we have no shadow of a right to expect the unfortunate British taxpayer to submit to further exaction on our behalf. We cannot imagine that the General Government, urged as it must be by the pressing nature of the little war bill and its huge responsibilities to the Home Government upon the subject of those brave but ill despited fellows who ran aw'ay from the Gate

pah, to say nothing of a natural desire to look after its own share of any loaves and fishes that may be going on in these parts, will permit the quiet extinction of the Crown’s pre-emptive rights to purchase the finest lands in the Island to be systematically obliterated by a few schemers.

Nor will that Government lose sight of its claims upon us for a reimbursement of some part, if not the whole of the expense incurred upon that section of the troops, of one sort or another located here, and which brings us in the sweet little sum of say <£50,000 a year. How is this claim to be met ? Only by the sale of land, and, failing this, by a direct taxation. It is clearly impossible for us to pay direct taxes, we are already sufficiently taxed indirectly. There is probably not a nation on the face of the earth which is more heavily burdened than we are, and yet, in the face of that startling fact, we allow the only source out of which we can hope to avoid further burdens to be cut off by an insignificant few.

Tli.it the Southern Island members will quietly submit to our smuggling away the only means we have of paying our share of the war bill is not very likely, particularly as that war is unproductive to themselves, for they have no share in the mutton contracts, nor have they the temporary consolation of supplying us with a sample of Militia officers, or a Civil Commissioner or Resident Magistrate now and again. All these sources of honor and emolument are denied our long suffering brethren of the South, and they will naturally take good care not to pay more than they can help for what they don’t enjoy. A company of people might set up, and in defiance of all law follow the example of the illustrious “ Twelve” of Hawke’s Bay, taking possession of any piece of land they like, and defy the Government or any one to dispossess them.

There is, however, another chance of the defeat of the allied runholders in the matter of the Ahuriri plains, and that may be found in the New Zealand Settlements Act. That Act provides tfiat the Government may lay an embargo upon any lauds suitable for the purposes of settlement. There is no other land in this Province, at all events, 'fit for settlement, except .that upon which the “ Twelve” are squatting, or going to squat, and therefore, providing that this Act does not share the same fate as the Native Land Act before mentioned, it is most likely that those persons will find their position upon the coveted lands untenable, notwithstanding their endeavors.

The cool manner in which some people upset any Ordinances which don’t quite tally with their convenience would be quite surprising, if we were not pretty well used to that sort of thing. We, however, look upon that kind of proceeding as a sort of respectable brigandism which ought to be put a stop to.

However, we do trust that the people of Hawke’s Bay will take early and effectual steps, by a petition to the Governor or otherwise, to stop the occupation of the Ahuriri plains in the nefarious manner of which we complain.