The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, MAY 10, 1880.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1010, 10 May 1880, Page 2

The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, MAY 10, 1880.

The general desire is that the business of the Native Land Court now in session at Makaraka should be carried oil in Gisborne, instead of at the "former place. That desire is almost universal so far as the Natives of the town are concerned. We hold the belief that so long as the laws which . at present exist govern the action of the Native Land Court, the sole point to be considered by the Chief Judge in fixing the site for the sittings of the Court, is the convenience of tbe Native suitors. That is a matter of paramount importance. Some years flgo, at, we belive the instance of His Honor Judge Rogan, the sittings of the Native Land Court were removed from Gisborne to Makaraka. Those Who will recollect the plethora of money, both of Government, and of private land speculators that was then in this district, and the consequences arising therefrom to the Natives, being \ that they were in almost a continual state of intoxication, and unable of . .' course, to carry on their business in the Court, will not cavil at the action taken by Judge Rogan in removing the Court to less excitable scenes. But things now are changed. As to the plethora of money, we leave our readers to form their own opinion. But this we do say, that a change for the better, a change from the chronic state of drunkenness and debauchery that prevailed a few years ago has « f now taken place. It, therefore, follows that the grounds that led Judge Rogan to remove the Court to Makaraka, now no longer exist. But beyond all that, there is a still more powerful argument to be advanced in favor of the Court being held in Gisborne, and that is the Natives who have the great bulk of the business before the Court, desire in all fairness, that the Court be held here. We could, if wo felt so inclined, amplify at great length the many just reasons that exist in support of the view we hold on the nutter. The convenience of the greatest number should be the object Irat sought after. When we consider that nine-tonths of the Native claim-

ants having cases before the Court, either live within a mile of Gisborne, or if living at a distance, such as at the Muriwai, or other places on the same side of the Big River, can obtain all accomodation they desire from their own country people on the opposite sides of the rivers from town, we confess we see no reason for the Court not being held in Gisborne. If we thought the present sitting of the Native Land Court were only to last for a week or two, we feel confident that not such question as now raised would be discussed. Having in view what we deem a fact that the present Court will last for some months, that there is an enormous amount of work to be got through, the accumulations of years past, and above all remembering as we do sadly, the state of the roads of the distriot during winter, we feel that there is no occasion to urge, what will be manifested to all, namely the holding of the Court at Gisborne. [Since writing the above, we have learned th^t there is every probability of the Court being adjourned to Gisborne to-morrow. J