CORRESPONDENCE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1081, 27 April 1880, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

[We do not hold ourselves responsible for opinion expressed by correspondents.]

THE EAST COAST BILL.

[To the Editor of tlie Herald.]

Sib, — The writer of the Star quoted by you in your last issue can certainly not be complimented on either the arguments he has used against the Bill, or the use he has put the said arguments to. If he understand the subject in any of its bearings, he could scarcely have written in that condemnatory strain. Again, the remarks quoted by you do not aeem at all applicable to the clauses in the Bill to which they ostensibly refer ; nay, seem totally at variance with them. He saya " Another maxim prevents one man or a combination of men from disposing of another's estute, but that is inconvenient, and MV. Rees' Bill overcomes by empowering Certain individuals under the name of Trustees, not merely to sell the land of others, but also to allot each man's share." This statement bears its folly on the face of it. It presumes that these Trustees are appointed by a legal process regardless of the wishes of the owners. Now that conclusion is totally at variance with Mr. Rees' Bill. This Bill seeks to render the existence of these Trustees ivhen appointed by the consent of the oionera of the blocks in question legal, in order tliat a legal title can be given by the Trustees. It seeks not to establish them by force over the owners. The Bill makes special provision for those who wish to manipulate their own land. He, as far as I interpret the Bill, means to act in concert with the Natives, and by their consent only. The Star assumes differently. Referring to his defence of v Those barriers which, have been built up in order to prevent wrong doing," and the pathetic strain in which he laments their approaching downfall ; we might ask if the public recognise the multifarious acts'relatingjto dealing with the Native owners, under the guise the romantic fancy of the Star writer haa clothed them with. Have they ever been the least use either to buyers or sellers ? The cumbrous machinery of the Native Department in all its details forbid its usefulness. These Acts rival those of the Apoßtles in number, but rarely lead to an apostolic frame of mind in those brought in contact with them. Officially, or otherwise oracularly, the Star declares "that various legal restriction on the disposal of landed property are to bo abrogated." This, doubtless, alludes to the acts referred to above. Also inferring that Mr. Rees finds legal restrictions peculiarly obnoxious. Mr. Rees, while no doubt thanking the writer for his courtesy in putting on a meaning of that sort in that form, does nothing of the kind. He advocates legal supervision over the Trustees. In what other way could he hope to convey a bill through any Government ; much less through the present, which seems to be gifted with less stupidity than its predecessors. The real difficulty lies in the Committees, element, and in a measure in the power which the Trustees would hold, but I scarcely see how it can be avoided. A land monopoly can scarcely occur. The Native owners would not perceive the value of it, and then the supervisions exercised by the Government means supervisions for the benefit of the Europeans as well as for the Maori. Some guarantee against it would have to be introduced into the Bill before it would pass the House, unless we are to think, as apparently, the Star does— the members are totally blind to the interests of the country.. As a rough draft of a measure, the bill is fair enough. Till a thing of this sort is mooted and tried, the objections are not seen ; therefore, cannot be applied. In this district, the weakness of previous dealing with this question has been brought more home to us, than perhaps, in any other part of the Colony. Therefore I think we should,, instead of cavilling at a word or a sentence, look fairly at a measure which offers us a way out of our difficulties. Land Courts settle a title for Natives ! Tlie difficulty of Europeans gettiwj a title is as great after tliey have dealt with land as before, — I am, &c, Tai Bawiuti.