SOUTH ISLAND LANDLESS NATIVES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 38

SOUTH ISLAND LANDLESS NATIVES.

MAORI EVICTIONS.

A "Western District correspondent v.jites : —

'■ The long-standing difficulty arising out of tho abo^o has again cropped up in an aggravated foini. During the eaily days of last decade the subiect was ventilated to purpose through your columns. An elaborate statement of the conditions under which the Otajro Block was originally ceded by the Natnes was published in -the Otago Daily Times, showing plainly that, in addition to Princes street (Dunedin) reserves, it was a distinct understanding that one out of every 10 sections distributed throughout the entire block should be reserved for Native use and occupation. So successfully were these claims voiced by \ou that the then Native Minister (Mr A. J. Cadman) was induced to take action in the matter. Preliminary thereto a conference was held at Otago Heads Native settlement, at whicb the Minister was present, and took part on behalf of the Government. A good deal of koreio — debate — took place, the result being that Mr Cadman undertook, on behalf of the Government, to set apart a block of land on the west side of an-,1 bounded by the Waiau Rher, Southland, being sections in the Alton survey district. Thereupon lithographed plans showing the land in question as being surveyed and marked 'Reserved for Natives ' were issued and disposed of by the Waste Lands Department as early as the year 1901. and these lithographed 'plans are still being issued and sold. It was a concession made by wav of compromise for the re«erve3 mentioned above, of which the Natives had been so long- wrongfully deprived. At best it was a poor compromise, but the Natives saw they could do no better, and accordingly they set about making the best of their bad bargain.

" Three members of the Native race — namely, Richard Ryan, Oliver Ackers, and Henry Ackers, the former a resident oi Canterbury, but each and all entitled to; participate in tho Waiau lands endowment — together with their wives and families, removed to the Waiau. erected dwelline*. cultivated plots, and e\erci~ed other rights of ownership. By derartmental memorandum dated July 9. 1907, they were notified by the then Commissioner of Crown Land^ (Southland) to remove all {roods, chattels, effects, cattle, and stock bplonßinc; to them fiom off the aforesaid section, and to vacate the same within 14 clay-, otherwise lesral proceedings would be tiken to evpel and removo them from the said land* and re cover po^sesaion thereof en behalf of the Ciown. | "Being unable io realise the position Ihe Natnes continued in occupation, abiding the issue of event*. In due course summonses for eiectment were served, the l.rmcipal averment in which set forth thnt defendants had, from the Ist day of. July, 1907. occupied, and were still occupvincr. part of the said section 'without right, title, or interest.' Theeo plaints were heard at a sitting of the Magistrate's Court, holden at Orepuki. a few days ago.

" Mr John Moffett, solicitor, I^vercarsrill, appeared on behalf of ihe Natnes. He characterised the proceedings a.3 most unconstitutional and har^h. The Government had neglected to gazette the lands, and it was now taking advantage of its own neglect to oust the unoffending Natives, each of whom was a hard-working, industrious, and bona fide settler. The extraordinary demand that had arisen for bush lands was at the bottom of this procedure, and instead of allowinpr and encouraging the Natives to settle upon the land set aside for them they were now being drhen further afield into tho Western wilderness — asked to settle on land consisting of tons and sides of mountains and otherwise wholly inaccessible. These men, one of whom had come all the way from Canterbury, had sought to establish for themsehes home 6at the Waiau, and now they were, to be shunted on. to a block absolutely cut off from all communication, remote from the privileges of civilisation, such as school, etc. Alluding to the Irish eviction, he (Mr Moffett) contended these proceedings were in raanv respects more harsh and unfoeling. He admitted that as (h& law stood the order would ha--\e to be made against him, but he urged it should be ■ delayed a*> long as pcssible so as to enable hk clients to place tho whole facts of tho case before the Native Minister, who, he "was a^nired would not suffer the injustice proposed to be done. In conclusion, Mr Moffett stated his intention of bringing 1 the whole subject under they notjeo of the Hon. the Native, Minister with the view of getting- the Government to complete the undertaking given by the late Minister, so that these blocks (concluehely shown on the lithographed plans issued and sold by the Waste Lands Department as early as the year 1901) may be reserved for tho purposes intended. The"] court so far admitted thp hardships of tho casa fl,s to delay execution till March 29, besides refusing cxpenees. " Altogether ifi would eeem that these .

unfortunate people, after being kept out of their stipulated rights for over half a. century, and having to submit to a moit unfair compromise, are now to be hounded from post to pillar, and, with their wives illld famillo-s driven into a state of isolation moi-i deb.vbing than their oiiginai barbarism."