THE Thames Advertiser. MONDAY, JUNE 1, 1885.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XVI, Issue 5182, 1 June 1885, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. MONDAY, JUNE 1, 1885.

3ne of the measures intended to bo p lubmitted to Parliament by the Go vern- a; nenfc is a new Native Lands Act. fliat reforms are greatly needed in the ® manner, of dealing with these lands, pli-be admitted "both % natives andEuropeans .who-have any conception of 1: ihecumberous, roundabout and tedious 81 iystem" now in force, But we have fl jrave ;fears'; that the ip^pposed. refortn will be ofythe character of similar'pre- | pious attempts in a like direction, a which may chacacteriaed by the some- ti what homely proverb,- of .the fry;; o ingpan into the fire," Tlie main 'ob- J iect —said to be-of the native land t ; legislation, is. to protect the, natives s: irom the land-sharking proclivities of n many of the white population. There ° may have been a time when the natives | leeded such protection, but ye, think is ;hat time has passed 1 away, arid the 1 3nce, .unsophisticated savage is now as n well qualified to, take care of his own g iateresfc aa the f'lieatlien Ohia^ 3 ' If, 1 however, it is'admitted that there is a necessity for. guarding the Maori from U pakeha spoilation, there is nothing i more certain than 1 that the'-machinery a now. in force does not do so, but rather c makes him a prey to those who can 1 estimate the loss entailed; by vexatious delays and absurd' restrictions. In j order to ascertain the owner or owners of a certain I 'block r ; oflatid; ! first \ thing required is a survey.' This needs ] money, and though many natives are ; willing to have their lands put through ( the Court, they are either, unable or I unwilling to pay the cost of surveying. ] At one time the surveyor could, if the native : did' not pay; ' j him, : get a i lien upon the land for. the; amount j of the .survey fees, this "is not j allowed now, 'and the native owners are compelled to raise themoney by some other meanb. Those, who know the market value of the average native's credit, are aware.that this cannot be done except at & considerable sacrifice. In addition to costs of survey/there iare Court'tees which must be paid in cash before! the Judge will proceed with the case. : After, the ,case has bpen;decided and the owners' names recorded, ' a delay ipf from three to six. months ensues, diu'ing. which no person can ..deal ,with the land in any way; under. severe pains arid penalties. ; Wh*eii the Matter has'at,.length amyed.at, the stage,iii' which .the: nativea can : lawfully,,deal with'; the : land, if they are,willing to sell itthe purchasermust see the native either a Judge of the Native] landf 'Court, a J;P;,or a solicitor, i .Then the deed has,to be 1 Commissioner, who,, has that the consideration has ; not been, paid in spiritous liquors,- guns; or, other warlike stores, and that' the natives selling the land are possessed of other lands ;to live upon.' After the Frauds Commissioner ; has certified that the provisions of 1 the. Act are complied with,! the;purchase?.'V*® native duty a sum equal to ten per cent, on tho amount of thdipurchase money, besides other fees for registration, eto. , The effect ; of theso delays' and restrictions is to limit the number of purchasers, for there are few/ individuals who possess the patience and; skill to carry out such intricate negotiations, and those who .' do' make ample allowance for the cost by: reducing tlie, consideration paid to the-too., much protected native owner. _ Not only do the natives suffer in this way, but the delays in getting their lands through the Court are so great, and the hardships endured so • trying, that,auy person who has witnessed them must'sympathise with the natives. A t Shortland now a Court is sitting at which lands are being'dealt with whioli hav'e 1 been:for years awaiting attention!' 1 j " The''list of cases;is so .long that. if j al|,,t\re,.deal(i ! with several the ' Court rises. All this time the natives interested must wait about, not knowing the day or the hour when their case may bo called upon. • Very few of thom have funds to supply their i needs, and very little credit oau be

obtained by natives, consequently many of them are importuning their Pakeha friends for assistance, which they can only -render : at greet risk. In many .instances the cost of attending Court is so great that the natives would effect a saving by remaining at their settlements and allowing the land to go to any person who cared to look after'it, All this is very unfair to the Maoris, as well as having the, effect of v keeping large < areas'' bf'lahd 1 idle. 4 ' c We 5 lcnow 1 there are tl^ should be so than, that they ahouid'fall into the hands of the landsharks, We. of ihe natives pass . to * believe that a very would 'prevent subh a thingi V,, A tax.ori" all land held by one individual'over a certain area, to be fixed by law, jwould prevent large areas, being' hield, for, speculative purposes, 5 and -tHe price to: the genuine settler; / "We trust that Mr Ballarice; in dealing with'this subject, 5 will divest His ;mind'' of 5 all |" jfads'j and';, remove J/ .restrictions which limit the possible ;custoniers.-for the surplus lands 1 of the Maori.j They need no Fraud's Commissioner to see. that they get their money, and the ' only care necessary, is to reserve to every one a sufficient area of suitable lands'- to' live 1 'upon. r ' Unless this is;done, it is not at, all'improbable tllat many, natives Jeffc,w oiit ; an inch. of notwithstanding 1 the supposed'" protecbion' ! -' of : Frauds Commissioned' ;■