THE COLONIST. Published Daily—Mornings. Nelson, Wednesday, January 16, 1895. MAORI LANDS.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8147, 16 January 1895, Page 2

THE COLONIST. Published Daily— Mornings. Nelson, Wednesday, January 16, 1895. MAORI LANDS.

Considerable difficulties have been experienced by successive New Zealand Governments in respect to dealings with Maori lands. During the time when private persons were permitted to deal directly with the Natives for the acquisition of their land, in some instancea fairly large prices were given at times when, owing to land hanger and speculation, the purchaser wae quite certain that he could sell at a very considerable profit, but in a very great many cases land was obtained from the Maoris for a very small sum, while the money received by the original ownerß was too often a cnrße rather than a blesaing. The prospect had to be faced, too, that there was considerable danger of many Maoris parting with co much of their land under the various temptations offered them that in a few years comparatively few would be left with sufficient land to live upon. It has, we believe, been most injurious to the race that private persons were permitted to purchase from the Maoriß direct. Under clause 117 of the Native Land Court Act of last session it in provided that it shall not be lawful for any person otber than a person acting for or on behalf of the Orown to acquire any estate or interest in any land owned or held by a native or natives, *' except land owned by a native or natives which has been acquired by way of purchase, gilt, or testamentary disposition from any person other than the Crown, or by purchase from the Orown." The exception is evidently intended to apply to lands that may be acquired by natives in the same way as lands have been acquired by Europeans, bub the exoeption of land acquired by testamentary disposition, may perhaps have a wider effect. The leasing of land in the Middle Island is not precluded, and clause 118 may have opened the way to considerable evasion. This clause provides means whereby any person who may claim to have purchased or leased prior to the passing of the Aot the share or interest of one or more oak of several owners of any block of land, and to have been in tr< nty for the purchase

of other shares, may obtain a certificate entitling him to complete hia bar* gain. True a Judge has to enquire into such a claim, but il would be interesting to know the number of snob claimß tbat have been or are b ing made, possibly such information may be forthcoming. The native owner of any land, or a majority of the owners thereof, may under this Aot apply lo the Land Board for the laod district within which euoh land is situated, to dispose of the Bame under tbe laws for the time being regulating tho disposal of Grown lands. Tha Governor may then, "if he shall be satisfied that the owners have sufficient other land left for their maintenance," by order consent to its disposal, and all moneys received in respect of the disposal of such land, ere to be applied as follows : — the repayment of charges for survey and incidental to the Bale, and the balance is to be held in trast for the owners of tbe land, and to be paid to them in proportion to their relative shares and interests therein, without any deduotion or charge whatsoever. It has to be added that all land disposed of under this part of the Aot by the Land Board shall be disposed of by auction.

It iB thus clear tbat the interests of the Native raoe are very oarefally conserved. There is provision that they shall not ba left landless, with the ultimate prospect of beoomiog chargeable on tbe conutry, and they are to receive the ptoceeds of sale in the open market, less the ao.ual oosts. Some of tbe Natives, however, do not care to be safeguarded, it would seem, and it is certainly surprising to find tbat Mr Hone tieke, who has wo a good opinions in tbe House, should, in a recent speech, not only have condemned the provision that the Grown should be the sole purchaser of Native land, bat should have made it appear that the Government is acting unjustly towards those of his race, In the course of hia remarks be said that the Government is offering the Native owners threepence p?r acre for laud for whioh private individuals were prepared to pay from twenty to thirty shillings. The Aot we have quoted from plainly shows tbat the Maoris have tbe means of getting tbe fall value for their laud, and tuat being bo it ill becomes a member of the House and a representative of the Natives, to speak in a manner caloulated to etir up discontent where there is no cause therefor.