Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. POLISHED EVERY EVENING. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1879.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 623, 11 February 1879, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. POLISHED EVERY EVENING. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1879.

What Mr Bees said last night at great length, he might have said more briefly, and as much to the point, in a letter addressed to either of the local papers. For Mr Rees can write ■with as much force and vigor as he can speak. Taking the speaker's own words, we should say he is not a Repudiationist — not at least, in the offensive sense the term is oftentimes applied. We should say Mr Rees is more of the Arbitrator, with this modification, that he is an arbitrator without having been called in or invited to arbitrate ; and a self-appointed arbitrator savors somewhat of impertinence. Mr Rees says that much of the Native Lands here been acquired by fraud. This may have been so. Probably fraud, or something very much akin to it, has been at the bottom of many of the land transactions between the Europeans and the Maori; but we are far from certain the Maori has not quite as often got the better of the European, as the European has of the Maori. We know he has sold lands, of which he was not the rightful owner, and that these lands have had to be given up without any compensation received by the deluded purchasers. Mr. Rees also says, that lands have been purchased much below their value. That what has been bought for as many shillings is worth as many pounds. But Mr. Rees forgets, as it may suit his convenience to forget, that land is only available in proportion to what has been expended to improve it. The Maori neither depastured his land, nor did he cultivate it. It was, therefore, so much worthless soil until the capitalist invested his money, and employed skilled labor to improve it. But what was really good and true in Mr. Rees' speech was this. That much land was held under veiy doubtful titles ; and that those who held under such unsafe tenures were not inclined to effect improvements, fearing that, at some time or other, it might be taken from them. Better, says Mr. Rees, that we should, know the worst. If men in possession of holdings held them with bad titles, it was better they should be given up mow, than in ten or twenty years time. We quite agree with Mr.

Rees in this, and we do not suppose there will be any one who will think to the contrary. "Then,;' said the speaker, " what 1 propose is, that all such doubtful titles shall be enquired into. If land has been fairly bought and paid for, the Crown should give a grant, that there may no longer be any hesitation or doubt as to who is the rightful possessor. Then, instead of so much land lying waste and barren, it will be stocked and cultivated." Well, we say with Mr. Rees, it is better — very much better — that the occupier of land shall know it to be his and his heirs and assigns for ever, than that he has no legal claim to it. But Mr. Rees, we think, is going very much out of his way as to how this much-desired thing is to be accomplished. Like all men with strong imaginations, Mr. Rees indulges in chimeras, not in the least likely to be realised — chimeras, which vanish as a fleeting shadow when a practical test is applied to them. Mr. Rees proposes the whole of the unalienated, and much of the alienated native land, shall be surveyed, mapped, and properly described, that they may be placed in two or three hands in trust for all parties interested. Mr. Rees proposed himself one of the trustees j Wi Peri another. That there shall be a sort of Committee of Trust, who shall have sole power to deal with Native lands, and lands the ownership of which are disputed. These trustees, or Committee, or whatever other name shall be given, will sell the land in subdivided lots, The purchasers are merely to pay a small percentage of the purchase money by way of deposit ; the balance to remain at interest of six or seven per cent. This interest money is to be expended judiciously in improving and ameliorating the condition of the Maori owners. Schools are to be built. The Maories are to be cared for in several ways, all with a beneficent intention. Mr. Rees says that, as trustees, neither himself nor his co- trustees, will derive any benefit from the lands held by them. That it would be illegal, and bring down condign punishment upon those who made the attempt. Now, we do not, for an instant, say that Mr. Rees and his co-trustees would do anything they should not do ; but Mr. Rees will, we are sure, not be bold enough to say that many trustees have not, in times past and present, betrayed their trust, and will do so to the end of time. It is not likely the Government, directed by the Native Minister, if he be still in his senses, will allow so much power to be vested in the hands of a European lawyer i and a Maori. Mr. Rees says he will not be benefitted one penny by the part he has taken. We trust that Mr. Rees will not be offended, when we say there are very few who will believe his assertion. Men do not leave profitable pursuits for pursuits that are not profitable — that are costly and for which there is to be no remunerative return. Mr. Rees has got his living to get, and we suppose he knows quite well what he is about. The fact is, Mr. Rees' scheme is too Utopian altogether. It will not wash. Men who believe themselves rightful owners of land will not allow their ownership to be jeopardised by any arbitration. Any proceedings taken to oust them must be through the law courts of the Colony, and no other way will suit them. Owenism has died out in these latter days. Mr. Rees would we doubt not, act the part of a great native land reformer, but the power will not be conceded to him. As a lawyer, he may institute proceedings for recovery, and may do many things allowed by the law ; but neither the Maori nor the European will permit him to step in and decide upon matters which does not affect him in any other character than that of an interloper.