THE STANDARD. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1873.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 46, 23 April 1873, Page 2

THE STANDARD.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1873.

“ We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to uo man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

Captain Porter has recently returned from the East Cape District, and reports all quiet. This most useful and influential officer amongst the natives has rendered good service to the Government and the country during his visit to that part of the coast. He has succeeded in getting in some 50 or 60 stand of arms from the natives who, although still chafing and somewhat unsettled owing to their personal grievances, seem to have evinced no reluctance to dispose of their most reliable means of offence and defence. But perhaps the most important part of Captain Porter’s achievement is in his succeeding in obtaining the consent of the Ngatiporou natives to sell right •out to the Government that portion of the Patutahi Block which was awarded to them, and which they promised Mr. M'Lean to lease to the Government as an endowment for native schools. It appears that they have had some differences among themselves as to what would be an equitable division of their several interests, and came to the very wise conclusion to clear out of an affair which would probably prove a chronic annoyance, leading possibly to more serious results. Again, we may well hope that this act of the Ngatiporou will strengthen the hands of M'Lean, in his endeavour to bring the Ngatikahunu natives to follow* their example and so bring the whole block back again into the hands of the Government.

Apart from the native side of the question there are others which will be of great advantage to the Poverty Bay settlers. In its plenary aspect this district does not offer so many attractions to land buyers and bona fide settlers as it should do; and this, not on any account from a paucity in quantity or poverty of description of its lands, but from the existence of difficulties in tribal title. It is that difficulty that has driven lately some large capitalists past our door. It is that difficulty that makes us view with regret every day’s delay that takes place in the sitting of the Native Lands Court, and of the Commission under the Cession Deed, as each remove from an early settlement of the question, as to who are and who are not the rightful owners of the soil, is a money loss to the settlers, and an injustice to the natives themselves. The possession of

this fine block by the Government will operate largely in determining many sterling men of a class much wanted to our district; while the .very fact of land being obtainable in Poverty Bay, under a Crown title, will open up a new era in our history of which we cannot, under prudent management, but reap the benefit. y