NORMANBY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 302, 18 September 1882, Page 2

NORMANBY.

(FnOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Settlers who have purohased land on the Plains near Okaiawa, are busy at work, many having already taken possession of their selections, and initiated | building operations. The large amount of money realised from this particular portion of the Plains should give the district a claim upon the Government, when money is voted for the construction of roads. It appears, however, that the Normanby-Manaia Road is not included in the 10,000 miles of roads which were scheduled, as coming under the clause in the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, which legalises the voting of sums of money for the construction of main roads, consequently the money for the metalling of this road will have to be acquired under the clauses sanctioning the borrowing of money from Government at low interest on the security of the district rates. However much it is to be regretted that no Government grant is made for this road,' and much as many may be inclined to complain of the injustice in the exclusion of this road, it will be much better to put away unavailing regrets, and set vigorously to work, with the borrowing powers given, to put in thorough repair a I'oad which is alike of vital consequence to the future of Normanby, and of the utmost importance to the settlers on the Plains. The maintenance of this road, and the management thereof rests with the Hawera County Council, the Manaia Road Board, and within the township, the Normanby Town Board. Too much cannot be said upon the urgency of immediate action, and a meeting of the Chairmen of these three bodies should be brought about with a view of concerting measures for ascertaining the value of the rates upon which money can be borrowed, and immediately obtaining a loan from Government for the speedy commencement of the work. It is no use delaying nntil the fine weather is half gone, lest we hsve to say, as has been said so often* 1 '" the/ harvest is over, summer ended, and man not saved." The natives on the Plains take the sale and occupation of the Continuous reserve quite as a matter of course. Titokowaru is expecting a number of native visitors from the south, consisting of members of the Ngarauru, Whanganui, and Ngatiapa tribes, who are coming to congratulate that chief on his release from prison. Titokowaru is very anxious that their visit should not be t misunderstood, and attributed to political motives. We again have promises that the various native reserves • in tho district shall be immediately dealt with. On the .visit of the Commissioner, the first step •will be to discover the grantees of any, particular reserve with which intending lessors wish to deal, and gain their consent to lease. Without native, consent nothing can be done, and negotia- , tipps twith natives /is -never, costless and often expensive. After tne natjfe con^ sent is obtained, the land is put "up to public tender, or auction; and here comes m r an injustice to tbfe individual' who 'has spdnt time, and probably money, in inducing' the natives to consent to lease. He has no priority to. lease, no preemption, no advantage over the veriest 1 stranger to the natives, who may at the ■last moment step in and' by bid or tender reap the, advantages to be derived from

little faith in the Government a factor. It appears too much to dsk. a njfcve who has lost most of his land by confiscation to trust the remainder in the bqhds of those who have despoiled - ; him.-/ Were the settlers and the natives left fo make their own arrangements for. the^leasing of the land, confining tli'e duties of the commissioner, to a supervision of the bond fides of the transaction and a superintendence which would guarantee the payment of the money to the grantees under the Crown grant, matters would soon be concluded, and the whole of the reserves quickly settled. For the reasons mentioned, much valuable land will doubtless remain unleased. . . - . i i . i '