THE CONFISCATED LANDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3551, 28 August 1879, Page 3

THE CONFISCATED LANDS.

♦ [By Tbib&baphJ {from th§ Own Oorrupon&mt of the LytUiton Timu.) WELLINGTON, August 27. Tho following is the translation of the manifesto, drawn up by the Committee of Maori Chiefs, in rospoofc to tho confiscated lands and the claims to those lands put forward by the natives : — " To tho Maori tribes interested in tho land confiscated by the Government in consequonce of the wars between the Maori and European we, the Committee appointed to inquire into and to take proceedings for testing the validity of the laws under which the said lands have been confiscated and are now claimed by the Government undtr the provisions of those' laws, send greeting: Enow ye l ibkt ;' yto- have consulted lawyers at Port Nicholson touohing these matters and we are informed as follows ; that in the " month of December, 1863, tho Gonoral Assembly of New Zealand passed a law autho* arising the Governor, whenever he was satisfied that any Maori tribe or hapu had been engaged in war against the Government since the first day of January, 1863, to declare and fir the boundaries of districts within whioh tlie lands of auoh tribe or hapu were situated, ■which should be set apart and become the property of the Government freed from the title of the Native owner of the same. But it was by that law provided that compensation : Bnould be made for the taking of suoh lands to any. of the Native owners who had' not been engaged or concerned in the War for whioh the same had been 1 -confiscated. Now we find that Government, purporting to act under the pro* vision or the law, and of other laws passed by -the General Assembly in connection therewith, have created districts in various parts of the North Island of New Zealand, and claim to Hold the lands of the Maori people within those districts on the alleged grounds that the said lands have been lawfully confiscated bj reason that the owners thereof had been 'engaged in wars against the Government since ' the Ist day of January, 1863. We know that theright of the Government to confiscate these lands and to retain the same has long been disputed by the Maori owners thereof, but that tlo proceedings have been taken in any court of law, to test the validity of thoAots of the fteneral Assembly under whioh they have been taken, or of the proceedings of the Government under those Acts, or the right of the Government to retain any portions of the lands so taken which has nob been set apart as sites for settlement. We, therefore, having been appointed to enquire into these things, have been advised that the proper course of the Maori people who object to them is to commence, proceedings in the Supreme Court of New, Zealand, in order that the following 4ueaiions may be heard and determined by l»wir-(l.) Whether tho Acts of the General Assembly authorising the confiscation of the Maori lands are valid Acts or not. (2.) Whether those Acts, if valid, autho- ; i?iMd' ' the Government to confiscate "''tAjf ! ' of' the Maori lands by reason n 'ot'' 'IrMs whioh happened after the ■^rfl^day of December, 1863. (3) Whether .' tuba© Acts, if valid, authorised the Govern'lftepfc to 'retain any of the lands within pro'olftrmcd dUtricta which had not been ' specifically set apart as sites for settlement .'from the 3rd day of December, 1867. (4) Whether the proceedings of Government under those Acts have been regular and proper, so as to bind the' Native owners of Unas taken. (5) Whether, if those Acts be Valid, proper compensation has been made to those who have not been engaged or concerned in the war. These are the principal questions whioh we have been advised by our lawyers to bring before the Supreme Court, but there are many others in connection therewith which trill also have to be decided, and all such questions will be duly raised in the interests of the Maori people. We have also been advised that if we are not satisfied with the decision of the Supreme Court upon any of these question*,

we shall be" entitled to ! the great Court! of the Queen in England, by which the case will then be fully heard and decided. Now, in order that those things may be^properly 1 done, we, the Committee, call upon 1 , you fo assure the Government that you will not commit any deed of violence or attempt to assert your claims to thoße laws by force, and' that you will leave your, rights to be settled by the law, and not by the Bword, and we will urge upon the Government on the other hand' not to proceed with the surveys, or to deal with the disputed land until the law decides the question. We further make known to you that acting in the belief that it is your wish' that these things should be peaceably done, we intend at once to take steps for bringing all questions touching your claims to the confiscated lands to the Supreme Court. From the Committee— Hori Kerei Taiaroa, M.L.0., President, Wi Tako Ngatata, M.L.0., Mokono Kohere, M.L.0., Henare Tamaana, M.H.R., Hori Karaka Tawiti, M.H.E., Huia Tainui, M.H.B.,,Maiti Paraone, Kawiti Keepo, Te Eangihiwinm, Major New Zealand Militia, 1 Peti Te, Awe Awe.