Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERT EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 1906. MAORI LANDS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10727, 26 June 1906, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERT EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 1906. MAORI LANDS.

Some time ago ■ -we raised a protest against the action of the Government in sending the local District Land Registrar 011 tour in other portions of the colony as a Native Land Court Judge. Judge Jones was absent from his duties in Gisborne for many weeks whilst dealing with Native Laud Court cases at Hastings, Russell, and elsewhere, and now he is again '-away, this time, it is understood, for a period of not 'less than three 'months,The fact that 'All' Jones has been selected for the hearing olfi the more important, cases which have recently come before that tribunal is, of course, a testimony to tho confidence in which his judgment. i 6 held, but it is hardly fair to the district in which he has been located as a permanent officer that his services should be at the call of every community in which Native Land Court work is required to bo done. Tlie office of District Land Registrar at Gisborne necessitates the constant attention of the gentleman who is its' head, aud' however important tlie Native Land Court work at Wanganui and elsewhere may be there is equally important work in that Court to be transacted at Gisborne. and Judge Jones has well proved his qualification to deal with it. The removal of this Judge from the district is entirely against the wishes of the natives, who, we hear, have made frequent protests to tho Native Department against Air Jones' retirement irom the Presidency of the Alaori Land Coiincil, a step which, it is asserted, has thrown back the settlement of native lands in this district for a considerable period. The Alaoris had full confidence in Judge Jones and were prepared to forthwith entrust their lands into the full control of the Board under his presidency, but the. fact of liis removal has led to a reveisai of their decision, and is causing endless delay. It is .high, time that the Hon.. Air Carroll grappled with the unsatisfactory position of native land affairs in his own constituency. He has, it must be admitted, done good work on the other side of the island, where vast ureas of country aro being opened in the Wanganui district. It is to facilitate tho settlement of the lands at Wanganui that Judge Jones- is at present absent from his. duties in Gisborne. Why should not similar energy' bo applied to Alaori ' land' matters on the East Coast? The Alinister knows thero aio numerous dealings awaiting investigation and, approval by the Alaori Land Board, yet, though ' every other Board in tho colony has been duly appointed, he delays the setting up of the Tai Rawhiti

tribunal. Almost a year has elapsed sinco tlie Maori Lands Settlement Act wa.s passed, by Parliament, and its results so far as this constituency is concerned are .practically nil. We are aware tduit in older that the interests of the natives should be safeguarded it was necessary valuations should bo made and other precautions taken, but surely sufficient time lias transpired for (retting the machinery of tlie Act into working order. Mr Carroll is, wo recognise, thrown upon his own resources and responsibilities since tho lamented death of Mr Seddon, and it remains for him to justify the confidence tbat his friends here have reposed in him by making a sound appointment and getting the Board into operation without further delay.