THE LAND COMPANY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1491, 2 December 1881, Page 2

THE LAND COMPANY.

t To the Editor oftfu Hkrald. ] Sir, — In a letter from Mr. C. De Lnutoiir, appearing in your issue of the 10th inst. I uuticed the following :— " I cannot myself see what harm the co-opera-tion of nearly two hundred persons <>f all classes and ranks of life, for the purpose <>f finding ways and means to unlock large tracts of unoccupied land for small fanner settlement, can do Gisborno " The italics are mine. Sir, if the public imagine that the New Zealand Native Land Company is confining its operations to unoccupied land, they are mistaken. Notwithstanding the assurance of the directors that the Company would in no way interfere with the European settlers, its policy is and has been, one of direct opposition to, and interference with them. I will aivo an instance. In the vicinity of Tologa Bay, the Company has been doing its utmost to acquire, amongst others, the following blocks of land : — Panikau, ParemataJMangahoia No. 2, Uawa No. 1, and Wharekaka. With the exoeption of Panikau, which was aiready being treated for when the Company sought to wrest it from the purchaser, these blocks have been held by Europeans, under better or worse titles, for years past. Tho holders have for yoars been treating with the Natives, for the purpose of bettering their position, in the land and enjoying the fruits of their lab >ur and expended capital. The Company is naturally anxious to acquire tho laud whioh will be most saleable to future purchasers. With this object in vi«w, it is steadily undermining the position of all those who occupy laud at the seaboard, and that on which labour and capital hive been expended in improving it. The answer to this, no doubt, would be, that the settlers will be ' • bought out "at a " fair 6gure " ; but one can imagine that the "fair figure " for an imperfect title or short lease would amount to, when onoe the land had become the fee-simple of the Company. Strangely enough the Native, who, as a rule, is so sharp of parting with his land, is now caught by the brilliant picturo held before him, of profit, in a scheme of at least doubtful result ; and

readily assigns to the Company his interest in the land, in many cases even without asking for payment. Whether tlio action of the Company will rosult beneficially In lh« district, or otherwise, is imt the subject of this let'er My object Uto show that the unpiession given to the public by the promoters of this scheme id a false one, and that the assurance of the directory some of whom one used to consider men of houoiir, cannot be relied upon. I will conclude by stating distinctly, that the above is written without feelings of personal aunimosity towards any of the directors, and for no political purpose, my object being to state olainly facts which have only recently come under my notice.— I am, Ac, Warning.