Wanganui Chronicle. AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1880.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 9136, 12 June 1880, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle. AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1880.

Thk Wellington Evening Chronicle announces with a great flourish of trumpets the execution of a deed of trust to Major Kemp by the Wanganui tribe and others of the Native race. The following ia given aa an abstract of the contents of this document which is made so much of: — It states that, with a view to the improvement and profitable occupation of certain lands, and procuring the settlement thereof by European settlers, the various Native grantors convey those lands unto Te 1 Keepa te pu ote Kawi ki Bangitaawhi (Major Kemp), of Muriniotu, and to his successors in office (who, in the remainder of the deed, arc described as the trustees) upon the following trusts : 1 —(I) To survey the lands and. to take proceedings, through the Native Lands Court, to obtuiu a marketable title and to defend all suits before any Courts relating to the lands and the interests 1 of: the grantors. (2) To act aside . >7ative Reserves, which are to be inalienable. (3) To take steps to effect , European settlement by selling or leasing the lands (excluding reserves) and in ease of Joases with a purchasingclause. (4) To employ solicitors,"surveyors, or agents, and remunerate them cither in money or land. (5) To borrow money upon security of tiio lands (except reserves) by way of mortgage. (G) To apply the purchase money of the lands as follows : — (<«) Paying oif mortgages; (b) contributing towards the i/o3t of constructing roads, railways, and other useful works, for the purpose of openiugjup the lands, (c) Division to a certain amount amongst the grantors. {d) Investing the balance in real or joint stock property, or the funds or Banks of jNcw Zealand. (7) To divide the annual income among the! grantors, according to their several interests. (8) To make up a yearly balance-sheet on ■ the 31st December, to be audited within two months, with a report upon any matters considered desirable. (9) To '• appoint any persons to act instead of, • or along with, the trustee. (10) Jiea- ! honablc remuneration to be paid to the trusteo or trustees; anysolicitorwho may hold the office to be entitled to charge professional foes in addition as well. [i Our coutemporary writes as though this .* deed had been duly executed by all the |1 Natives interested in the land in quesi- tion, and as though all thoße who have actually signed are fully aware of what „ they have done He is totally wrong on both points. Many have signed, but t many more, including some of the i. principal men, have held siloof and are perlcTtly certain to rcnuiin obdurate. They are not holding out to gee Urms, :w is too oi'iL'ii <lon> iii imm's of a like i-'nai-K't.er, bul prnn-ipi'ly because, for ii teasons which we m-ed not here indicate, £ they will have nothing to do with Kemp ;, as trusteo of lands in which they are

interested. Then with regard to those who have signed being fully awaro of what they hare done, it is only necessary to state that many of tho3c whose names are attached to the deed are young children. It seems therefore to us that it is at least premature to speak of this affair as completed, aiicl of Mnjor Kemp as a man who is about to confer enormous benefits on the community, by selling or leasing these landß in small blocks to intending settlers. The deed is not fully executed, and is therefore of no avail. There is no chance of its ever being fully executed, and therefore there is the less reason for showing at length that so far from settling the country its tendency would be all the other way. We do not doubt the bond fides of the Evening Chronicle about this question concerning Native lands, because it is one about which our contemporary is in a state of the densest and most hopeless ignorance.