COMPENSATION COURT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XV, Issue 738, 22 September 1866, Page 3

COMPENSATION COURT.

A. sitting of the Court for the hearing and determining 1 of claims' for compensation on account of the taking under the " New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863," of the block of land called the Ngatiawa Coast, which has a beach frontage extending from the Waitara river to the tunnel at Para 1 * ninihi^was opened on Thursday last, at the Freemasons' Hall. J. Rogan, Esq., was the presiding Judge. Mr. W. Atkinson acted as Crown Agent. The proceedings this day wore merely formal. On .Friday the business of the Court commenced, but the proceedings throughout the day were of a very uninteresting nature. Some 50 or 60 natives,, were present. We would remark upon tlie utter want of accommodation for members of the Press in this Court. Perhaps the Court thinks the sacred rites which it performs should not be made known to the ignorant crowd, who might not be able to understand them ; bat still, as tho^e rites' deeply affect the welfare of this Province, we would humbly suggest that it would be best to let the public know what they are.

The Prisoner Bertram).— Our readers wni remember that, in Bortratid's case, after his conviction of tho murder of Henry Kinder, his execution was scayed on appeal to the judges of tho Supreme Court, oh the grouud that tlie reading of the evidence given at the first trial upon the second trial was illegal. Notice was then given by the Attornoy-General of his intention to apply to the Privy Council for leave to appeal against tho decision of the Supreme Court; We learn that the Government have received by the mail jnst arrived, a telegram from London, dated June 30, in which it is seated that in the case Rogina v. Bertrand, leave has been granted by illo Privy Council to appeal, nud that in the meantimo all proceedings here are to b'e stayed; Thed^sion, we prcsum'e, .will debar any further applfcjjtiou being- made for thio prisoner's discharge under.the Habeas Corpus Act.-— Sydney Empire, 17th August. 4

THE GRANT OF LAND TO Dr. MOUAT. A few weeks ago we drew attention to the fact that a grant of land had been made to Dr. Mouat by tho Government in recognition of his military services in New Zealand, aud at the same timo published an extract from a letter of the Doctor's in which he enunciated his opinion of the Tarauaki settlers. We are glad to find that our fellowsettlers have taken action in the matter, and are determined, if possible, to prevent Dr. Mouat doing so much violeuce to his feelings as to accept a grant of that land which was so basely filched from the natives. The following petition to the Honse of Representatives, signed by 250 persons, was forwarded to Wellington by the Phoßbo. The number of signatures appendod is sufficient to show the feelings of the inhabitants of this Province on the snbject, but had time been allowed, there would have been no difficulty in obtaining four times the number. To tho Honourable the House of Representatives of Now Zealand in Parliament assembled. The Petition of the undersigned inhabitants of the Province of Taranaki, Humbly Sheweth— That your petitioners are informed that instructions have been issued by the Honourable the Defence Minister for the laying off 600 acres of land at Patoa in this Province, for Dr. Mouat, late principal Medical Officer of the Imperial forces serving in New Zealand. That your petitioners feel that any grant or promise of land to Dr. Mouat would only be made in ignorance of the expressed views and sentiments of that officer on the war in New Zealand, with special reference to its origin and justice. That whilst Major-General Pratt was prosecuting the war iv Taranaki in 1860-1, Dr. Mouat (who Was attached to the general's staff) loat no opportunity of charging your petitioners and the colonists generally with having originated the war for the purpose of profiting b.y the, commissariat expenditure, aud of robbing tho natives of their lands. That such allegations were made by Dr. Mbuat can be testified to your honourable House by the ■ evidence of Eeverai of your petitioners, and of \others to whom Dr. Mouat made no concealment of his sentiments. 1 That your petitioners submit that some consideration is due to them in this matter, and that the utterances of such calumnies by a high Imperial officer should, whilst uncontradicted, incapacitate him from receiving any reward from the colony for services rendered in, New Zealand. That y/ur petitioners further subnjib that some violencerwould be done to the feelings of Dr. Mouat himself by making him a participator in what that officer regarded as a spoil wrung from the natives by the rapaoiour greed of the colonists. That if it be considered expedieut that Dr. Mouat's services to tho colony should receive a special recognition, your petitioners submit that it should bo done iv a manner more grateful to that officer's feelings than by a grant of land in Taranaki taken from the natives, aud that the Province in which the services may have been rendered should have tho distinction df conferring the- reward. Your petitioners pray that this their petition may be favourably considered by your honourable House, and your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray. [Here follow 250 signatures.] New Plymonth, 15th September, 1866.