The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1882.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 4130, 6 September 1882, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1882.

WEDNESDAY, 6, It is now nearly twelve months Bince the Hon. Mr. Whitaker (Premier) introduced the " West Coast Settlement Reserve Act." In September, 1881, when the bill was read a first time, there was a general feeling expressed along the coast —from Wanganui to White Cliffs —that' at last something substantial would result from the labours of the Royal Commission, and that the leasing of native lands would be proceeded with. September, 1882, has come, and what have we to show ? How far has the work progressed ? How many acres have been sold for the benefit of the natives ? And how has the leasing gone on ? These are the questions that visitors from Otago and Southland, Canterbury and Auck-

land, Nelson and Maryborough are asking. It would be a source of considerable gratification to the old "slow coaches" (a? some of the new comers unacquainted with old troubles and Governmental supineness are apt to term us) were they able to give anything like satisfactory answers to theso oft-recurring questions ; but they are forced to confess that absolutely nothing has been accomplished since the West Coast Settlement Reserves Bill became law. It is true Sir William Fox and Mr. Parris have continued their labours with unabated vigour, and the small survey staff , belonging to the Eoyal Commission have accomplished quite as much as could have been reasonably expected from it. But under the Act a trustee was appointed, whose duty it is to take up the work that Sir William Fox has so well begun and carried on, whose special mission — it was erroneously supposed at the time — it would be to consult immediately with the natives, and carry out their wishes as to either selling or leasing their lands. That was clearly the intention of the West Coast Settlement Reserves Act. But how has that intention been fulfilled? Mr. Thomas Mackay, the Trustee, or Commissioner, appointed paid a visit to the district about six months ago, in company with Mr. Hamerton, the Public Trustee. He remained on tnT& coast a week or a fortnight, and then went} back to Wellington, fondly hoping that he could carry out the duties of his office by means of a set of printed forms and a goodly array of pigeon-holes. Applications have been made to have him stationed in the district where there is such a vast quantity of work to be done, and promises were given that Mr. Mackay would make Hawera, as the most central point, his headquarters. Has, then. Mr. Mackay been sent to the district, as promised ? Not a bit of it ; he still remains at the Great Central Bureau, on Lambton Quay, Wellington. That may suit the newly-appointed Commissioner and his ." boss," the Public Trustee ; but how does it suit the settlers — the " slowcoaches," as they are ungenerously termed — along this coast ? If they had au opportunity they would vei-y soon give a practical opinion as to the farce that is being enacted. The native reserves contiguous to the open land on the Waimate Plains have been sub-divided for the various 7iapits for some time past ; and had we an energetic resident Commissioner — such as Mr. Wilson Hursthouse would have made— most of the lauds might now be ready for selling or leasing. The surveys on the Stony River Block are so far advanced that the work could now be taken up by the Commissioner. Those who have had much to do with the natives are well aware that they do not make up their minds in a day, nor yet in a week ; and whilst the surveys are being completed, the wishes of the owners might in the meantime be ascertained in order that for the subdivision into suitable areas for leasing or selling immediately after the hapu lines are completed by the Royal Commission and survey staff. We understand that the survey of the southern portion of the Opunake Block — generally known as Araraa Kaiaka's land — is quite as far advanced as the land at Stony River. After the Royal Commission surveys are completed, a great deal of work still remains to be done ; and it is astonishing that a gentleman of so practical a turn of mind as the Native Minister cannot see that it is utterly impossible for a Commissioner residing in Wellington, and with a lot of other work to perform, to satisfactorily carry on the work of his office on this coast. We desire to enter our protest against it, and we are pleased to find that our Patea and Hawera contemporaries have also taken tip the matter. There are plenty of subjects on which we must agree to differ ; but on this question we can happily lay aside our differences. The speedy settlement of the whole coast concerns us all alike, and if we unitedly take a decisive stand the work must be gone on with, and an end put to the farce that has been enacted since the passing of the "West Coast Settlement Reserves Act" in September, 1881, For our part, we shall not let the matter rest, and we trust that we shall have the hearty co-operation of our contemporaries in exposing the present donothing policy, and in compelling the Government to carry out the promises that have been made to natives and Europeans alike. The settlers are thoroughly disgusted, and it is little to be wondered at that the Maoris are getting sullen and discontented. The Maoris need the cash (as a correspondent lately put it) : they want tea and sugar, flour, and blankets. Although they could, by leasing their lands, readily obtain all they require, they are prevented from doing so. A paternal Government says to them : — " We will lease your lands for you ; we will collect your rents for you ; do not be impatient ; time is no object, as you have waited twenty years nine or ten 1 more will make but little difference ; all will come right in the end. , Wait till your commissioner is fit to get out of leading-strings, then will he be a father unto you, and the sweots that you long for shall be placed within your reach." However, all this does not bring comfort to the Maoris to a much greater degree than it does to their European neighbours, and with unutterable disgust, and with considerable omphasis, they frequently exclaim: — "No good the Government." The feelings of their white neighbours I are much the same, although their expressions may be somewhat different.

BENEVOLENT SOCIETY. The Committee of the Benevolent Society met last evening. Present : Archdeacon Govett (Chairman), Rev. Taylor (Wenleyan), Messrs. Richmond, J. C. George, E. Veale, E. Okey, and C. W. Govott, Mrs. Crompton, Mrs. Skinner, Mrs. Palsgrave, and Miss A. Smith. A letter was received from the Relieving Officer complaining that the Secretary (Mr. C. Govett) was continually thwarting the interests of the Charitable Aid Department, and requesting the Committee to settle the question as to the duties of the Secretary. The Secretary informed the Committee that learning that a child, which had been in the charge of Mrs. Lovell for two years, and for which she had been receiving 7s. a week, was being removed at three hours' notice, he had directed the Relieving Officer to give a week's notice before removal. That subsequently Mrs. Lovell had given notice of her intention to adopt the child, of which he had informed the Relieving Officer, requesting him to let Mrs. Danehay know, as the Relieving Officer had been negotiating with her on the subject of adoption, and giving his opinion that Mrs. Lovell's application would probably be granted by the District Court. The statement of facts in the Relieving Officer's letter as to what had passed respecting the proposed adoption of the child was correct. It was resolved unanimously, on the motion of Mr. J. C. George, seconded by Mr. Okey, "That the Relieving Officer must at once recognise that he is to hold himself under the direction of the Benevolent Society, through the Society's Secretary." The following resolution, proposed by Mr. George, and seconded by Mr. Richmond, was also passed unanimously, " That advertisements inviting applications from | persons willing to adopt destitute children be inserted in the local papers. All applications to be made to the Relieving Officer, who shall furnish to the Committee at its monthly meetings a detailed list of the applicants, with a report of their several qualifications." The vital statistics for the Borough of New Plymouth for the month of August are as follow: — Births, 32; marriages, 8; deaths, 11. By a misprint in yesterday's issue, the cost of broken metal to the Benevolent Society was made to read as 2s. 9d. a yard instead of ss. 9d. a yard. A new Justice of the Peace Act came into force on Tuesday last, and repeals the former Acts on that subject. The new Act consolidates former statutes, and materially extends the jurisdiction of Justices, allowing them to dispose of certain indictable offences summarily. The Taranaki Book Club has just received a large number of new works, carefully selected from Mudie's Library, which is one of the largest circulating libraries in London. This Club has been established over twenty years, and there arc to be found on its shelves one of the best selection of books to be found in the Colony. Miss Cottier, the librarian, | will give every information to those who ! wish to join the Club, subscribers to which have the advantage of the perusal of all Reviews and Magazines immediately they are received. A case against J. W. Waller, merchant, Auckland, was heard to-day, at the Resident Magistrate's Court. Some time ago judgment was given for the plaintiff in the case of Parkinson v. Waller for £31 18s., but the judgment not having been satisfied, a judgment summons was taken out against the defendant, who is a well-known merchant in Auckland. The defendant did not appear when the case was called on to-day, and, on the application of Mr. Samuel, he was ordered to pay the amount of the judgment debt on or before the 15th September, or to be imprisoned for fourteen days. It will be remembered that some time ago a complaint was made by the merchants here respecting the unsatisfactory shipping arrangements of the Union Co.'s steamers at this port, as they frequently carried on or short delivered their cargoes when the weather was fine and there was no reasonable excuse for so doing. The merchants who sent a complaint to the company's head-office at Dunedin have received a reply to the effect that inquiries have been made aa to the complaint o£ twelve cases of butter having been refused shipment by the captain of the s.s. Wanaka from New Plymouth to Onehunga. The directors of the company, while regretting that any inconvenience should have been caused on that occasion, state that from inquiries made they find that Captain Holmes could scarcely have acted otherwise. The boat which had been announced as the last boat from the shore had taken off the agent, passengers, and ship's papers, and having left again for the shore, the steamer was got under weigh. She was under steam when the master's attention was drawn to the approach of another boat, and as, by he aid of a glass, Captain : Holmes was enabled to see that there was a lady in the boat he determined to wait until the lady was put on board. Captain Holmes informed the boatmen that as he had the mail on board, and had to work the Wanaka both ways on the one tide, he could not wait to receive any more j cargo. The letter concluded by stating that next year there would be no room for any complaint, as the Directors hoped to have an express steamer making weekly trips between Onehunga, Tnranaki, Wellington, and Lyttelton, and this will allow the ordinary steamers to devote more time to cargo work. The residents of a village were aroused one night by sounds of strife proceeding from the dwelling of a young couple who bad not yet completed their first twelve months of matrimonial bliss. On some of the neighbours entering the house they found the husband wiping the blood from his face, which had evidently felt an enraged wife's nails. The wife moved about the apartment in a highly excited state, dropping such ejaculations as "Weel aa nivvor !" " An' he had the check te come au' tell mo !" " Aa'll gie hor us much if aa catch hor, the brazzen faggot," &c. " When aa come hyem," blubbered Geordie, in answer to the neighbours, " she wanted te knaa whor aa'd been te, and aa tell'd hor aa'd been deon to the Lion Inn discussing politics." " Ay, an that's true," interrupted the irate wife; "an 1 aa've just gien 'im somethin' to myck him remimbor that he's gettin' a wife at hyem, an' that he's no business te gan taakin' te Polly Ticks, nor no othor o* th' family. Aa'll Polly Ticks him if ho gana that gyet agyoa 1"