THE APPROACHING SESSION OF THE NATIVE LANDS COURT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 3097, 8 April 1878, Page 2

THE APPROACHING SESSION OF THE NATIVE LANDS COURT.

Several preliminary meetings in con-, nection with the approaching session of Uio Native Lands' Court have been held in the new Euatanga at Putiki, at which tho local tribes and numbers of the up-river natives who have already arrived in town to attend the Couit, were^present, Major Kemp and Mete Kingi generally presiding. R. W. Wood, Esq , F.R.M., to -whose courtesy we are indebted for the itilormation, we are able to furnish in connection with these gatherings, was also present by special invitatiou,to assist at the deliberations. The principal business before these preliminary 'meetings was the d ; scus"jion of the policy which is to influence the land negotiations, and after many cxprcs3ious of opinion it was resolved that no hindrance shall be offered to any individual members of any tribe who may choose to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of their land. This is in distinct coutraversion to the policy of last year, when individual action was directly opposed and the sale of land, was i generally hindered and obstructed. But the reversion has been carried s'Hll farther, and it has been decided that every facility for the sale of land shall be offered, and that those.who have property to sail, shall be assisted to dispose of it. In. fact tho natives mean to sell light and left,' and all the petty cavilings and obstructions that- characterised the proceedings of last year's court, will be absolutely done away with. ! It has been also decided that; all .points of dispute shall be left to the'law to determine, and that no threats of violence whatever shall be raised. In any question of boundaries that may arise, the chiefs have-positively forbidden any , resort to' force, referring to the case of .Reneti',Tapa, in which, it will be re- ' nieinbered thsxt one native struck down another with a bill hook, in consequence of some -surveying' quarrel, shortly after last year's session of the Court, aa an .example of.* tlie result of such' a course. The wantof r ,praper representation in/ Parliament' was .freely discussed, and yery forcible opinions were, expressed •tfiWem?, ' 'it'- being 1 ' decided ultimately to petition :tbo 'Government for the formation of a third House of Representatives, for Maori members, of whom they would propose to have a larger number elected, for the purposeof dealing exclusively with Native business. The, meeting further decided to' petition Government to appoin* a committee of the native chiefs in th c different Maori districts for the invest 1 Ration 'of claims about to be taken into the Native Lands' Court. This committee, under the authority of the General Assembly, to take all steps necessary for the preliminary sifting of the claims, and to elucidate as far as possible the complications of intertribal disputes before calling the. Court iato action thereon. With regard to land grants, a petition will also be prepared, praying the Gov-' ernments to abolish certain existing re« strictions,' and to institute a system of entail in general by which properties will be retained iv the possession of the direct line .of the descendants of iiny individual possessor. Every confidence was expressed in the Government of Sir George Grey and the Hon. Mr Shoehan. and the natives intend lay to their grievances before them in the full confidence of obtaining -redress. Although the present Government- were not considered by the meeting to have been so long in office as to insure early action of behalf of the native claims, yet. the certainty of a patient investigation, and satisfactory decision o£ -matters in connection with Maori interest wasgenerally entertained, and expressed in terms, laudatory in the extreme,' of the : Premier and his coadjutor in native concerns., General disappointment was expressed in consequence of the fact of Sir, George Grey's not having visited the natives of this district ; but, what was considered by some to be negligence was justified by others who contended that' i{j,-w«s..the want , of loyalty in the natives of other places that prevented the Premier -from visiting his people in this part. Finally the- general disappointment felt at the unexpected adjournment of tho Native Lands Court was freely commented upon, and the immense amount of individual inconvenience occasioned thereby, was exhaustively. discussed. The Natives are now busy in the preparation of their plans for the Court. Day after day their numbers are'being reinforced by visitors frqm the surrounding districts. Mr R. W. Woon informs- us that the meeting, to commence on the 20thinsfc., will be very largely attended, and of an' exceedingly important character.