THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 1877.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4789, 23 March 1877, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 1877.

Wβ have of late very often' referred to what the Ministry ought now to Gonsider their most important, work, not only in relation to - the .North Island and the province of Auckland, but to the whole Colony. That work : is: the making available for ■ settlement the lands which, within the last few years -have been acquired from the natives. We have not seen any decided evidence that Ministers consider the subject of muck importance. Judging from the fact that Mr. Orniond, who has the whole matter of these purchases under his charge, remains at Wellington, when he might conclude negotiations'in the district where the largest purchases have been made, it would appear that they do not bring to . the subject that grave consideration and prompt action which it demands: One would have thought, that Mr. Ormond, a newlyappointed Minister, would. have been, full of enthusiasm, and anxious to make a name for himself by finishing off these long-standing negotiations, thus contributing to the settlement of the country, increasing the revenue, and. removing a formidable grievance against Ministers: These gentlemen may rest assured that, however easy they may feel at present on the-subject, they will hear a good deal about it when Parliament meets. Their policy has not been successful.-in this province, and if, 'between this time and the meeting of Parliament, things are allowed to drift into confusion worse confounded, and no' land is opened for settlement, the people of Auckland will have a heavy bill of indictment against the Government, to be made use of by Sir George Grey, or whoever maylead the Opposition, • ; ; If an additional inducement were wanted to hasten the conclusion of the purchases, and to make available for settlement every acre the Government have purchased, it is to be found in the present prospects of the goldfield. The improvement which, has taken place will operate in a variety of ways. If mining continues brisk the population at the Thames will be largely. augmented, and those who are- there will make up_ their minds to remain, and to invest their money in lands for homes for themselves and their children. The land will iilho bo of greater value, for the mining towimliipn 'oiler :i market which cannot bo HiirpnsHod in tho Colony. It is quite curtain too Ilmfc good land will meet ready purchanoi'H, imil if those in the district will not pui'olmwo, it would be readily taken up by Hultlura from the South. Tho residents ut tlio Thame?, who have passed through a long period of

depression and consequent discouragement, ought to bestir themselves in this matter. If a. period .of reven j moderate well-being is them, they may settle the Upper Thames before the favourable time has passed'away, and render the townships of : Grahamstown and Shortland almost . independent, for the future of fluctuations in'-mining. Were we to judge from the market, which is the only test of value open to us, the sum of £300,000 will be.objained in the shape of profit out of one niinelwithin a' brie'f period; -Other min'es •p'romise well at the Thames, and it seems exceedingly- probable-that- Ohinemuri-will also produce a large quantity of gold. This means that a very large amount of money will be paid, chiefly to people in Auckland arid at the Thamesrm Ttividends;.and there can be no question that a considerable proportion of that amount would be invested in land fer the r>urposeo£cultivation and improvement, if good land were to be had, the favourite position in all cases being the Upper Thames and Piako districts. The. increased. . briskness in mining also means that a very large sum would be paid in wages to miners, . very many of whom , are exceedingly anxious to purchase small farms to settle upon with their families. - A fine opportunity: is pow offered all round, and if the Goyernment would exert itself, it would settle the district, and secure for the Colony a large population which otherwise will leave it. What has been lost can "scarcely be computed. If the land had been opened when mining was brisk, some years ago, the work would not now have to be done.

Capitalists who made money from Thames mines had to go out of the province, in many cases, to invest; it, while the miners who had saved'siims, after -waiting till they could wait I no longer, went off ,to Australia. . Now, another chance is afforded to us, and if it is missed, there may not be another j for ■years to come. :■.-•:.• ■'' • j "Whenappeals are made,to Ministers on this matter, if they .answer at all, they say that they are reaUy doing' all they can, and. that the public must take that assurance. Well, the public have (lost, faith in Ministerial asseverations on this point. They do not for a moment suppose that the individual Ministers would intentionally deceive, :but people have come to think that Ministers have in the concrete got so involved in Native Office'cobwebs, are so far influenced by interested subordinates, aud are so puzzled with the intrigues and complications of agents that they feel themselves almost helpless. These native laud negotiations have become not one Gordian knot, but a whole series of knots. In cases of much less importance, when there was evidently something wrong somewhere, the Govern-, ment have appointed Commissions of Inquiry. Why should not the Government issue a commission to men in whom the public would Lave confidence to! inquire into ho'w it is that the land purchased in the Thames and Piako districts have not been made available for settlement 1 Why should we be kept in the dark on this matter ?. We venture to say that such a commission would give .the whole system of native negotiation such a fillip that we would be certain to have some good effected. Besides, the inexplicable delay which has taken place, and- which has prevented the northern part of the island from reaping appreciable benefit from the public works scheme,. in almost every district where purchases have been 'carried on, grave scandals have arisen which the public have never got to the bottom of, and which we doubt if the Ministers themselves quite understand. As to the Thames, Ministers" tell tho country, through the House of Representatives, that so many thousand acres have been purchased; but when, long after, the Waste .Lands Board make an attempt to utilise the soil, it turns out that some of the most important step's towards the purchase have not • been taken at all. The fine district of Tauranga is, if possible, in a worse position, for a veil of impenetrable mystery has long rested over it. Some thirteen, years ago the laiid was confiscated or ceded ; and yet since that time the district has made little progress. The most extraordinary statements have been made with reference to the dealings of officials with the land, and these have not been disproved ; but Ministers do not seem to think it incumbent upon them to do anything to vindicate the purity of their officers. These accusations the public will certainly believe, as the results seem to confirm them —for an extensive and fertile district, with the advantage of a good harbour, has ; made but little.progress, owing to the hopeless confusion which surrounds the whole land question. Through-, out the Bay of Plenty enormous tracts of land have been leased, and liabilities incurred by the Government for rent, but none of the land has been opened for settlement. Purchases have also been made to a • large" extent, but neither have these been utilised, ana, indeed, it seems that questions as to ownership'l have still to be fought put... -What ; the ' Government proi pose to do with the land leased, yre can hardly imagine.: We do not think any settler would ,pay ...them ■ the rents for which they • have become liable to the natives,, .and, possibly they may ,be disappointed in the expectation they entertain of obtaining the freehold. As to the purchases made in the neighbourhood of Poverty Bay, they are in the worst position of, all, if we may judge 'by. the accusations and recriminations that have , taken place, and if, : indeed, ifc' is. possible that matters could be worse than' they are at the Thames and' Taurauga. There has been' a kind of triangular combat between the Judge of the Native Lands Court, the Government Land Purchase Agent, and the Native' Minister, which we should think was not conducive to the prober transaction of business. The accusations made,were of the most serious kind, and, if only a part were true, would amount jto great wrongs on the public ; but no ex-, plantation has yet been publicly made, i A secret investigation was held, and the Land Purchase Agent,,Mri J. A. WilsQn, was censured, or'dismissed,.'or. both ; but the whole affair was kept'within 'official circles. . As to the purchases effected, and in what position they are, no one-,knows anything except, this,. that the land has notjpeen made available for settlement.

We feel sure of this, that if the Government we're to issue commissions of inquiry, full 'investigation could be made before the meeting of Parliament. This would absolve the Government to a large extent from blame, and prompt and decided action could be taken. The Government will not now be able to shelter themselves, in a thick cloud of Maori mystery. Last session saw their power in this,way.considerably shaken:; when the Assembly next meets that power will !be completely gone ;, and they, will have-to face a- storm compared with which, last session's was but a gentle zephyr." These millions of acres must be made, available for. settlement, or the country will insist upon kuowing why they are not. :