A MAORI GRIEVANCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1159, 14 February 1874, Page 3

A MAORI GRIEVANCE.

TO THE EDITOR. (Tianslatiou.)

Sin— On the 13th (23rd) of January, 1874, I met the Natives of the Kainga {Otago Heads) in meeting assembled near tlieir new house, besides some Natives from Murihiku (Jacob's lliver). The chiefs were gathered round the fire, and their conversation turned upon the compensation for the house made sacred to them at Otepoti (Princes street Reserve). Some said we gained the lawsuit for that reserve ; the money has arrived to the hands of the Provincial Government of Otago to pay foi the land they stole from us. Their tendering us these ,£SOOO is plain proof that the Government wanted to steal this land from us. Some of the chiefs said, "but where are the £6000 rent which their land yielded before it was legally marie over to them (Provincial Government) 'i Some said this money must be in the hands of the Provincial Government ; others said, What shall we do to get it ? Others answered : Let us ask for it, and if they don't give it us let us go to law for it, that they may be bound not to withhold it any longer. At this they all cheered. This reserve of Princes street (the contention about it) the Natives took to the Supreme Court in Dunedin, h csv Zealand, in which Court the Natives we-, c worsted. Afterwards they took it Ito the Supreme Court in Wellington ; there, too. the Natives were worsted, because tho lawyers were united to the Government of the Province . In our sorrow, wo decided to appeal to tne Queen in England. It was only after the Queen entertained our petition that the Provincial Government consented to redress their wrongsconsented to pay. That is how the money reached our hands. Our consideration now is how to get the accumulated rent of that reserve. In conclusion, tho natives said: Let us v more tako our important litigations to the Courts of New Zoalaud, because they are siding with the Europoaus ; let us direct our complaints to England for tho land the Europeans are with a holding from us.

Solomon Patu;