NATIVE LAND COURT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 12580, 29 September 1908, Page 3

NATIVE LAND COURT.

Thi following is a copy of a letter sent to-daf to the Chief Judge of the Native LamS Court, Wellington, by the Wanganui. Chamber of Commerce: — EEGBLAR AND MORE FREQUENT ■•SETTINGS OF THE NATIVE LAND GOURT. Sixt— With reference to .the first part of yolir letter, in which you state that the people of Wanganui did not wish sittings of tip Native Land Court to be held in the towA; you are certainly under a misapprehension. Exception was taken to their camming on the foreshore in large numbers a lengthened period .during, the sittings of the Court. It was considered that the congregating of the natives for long was a menace to their Health and # jjo the health of those living-^ in the neighbourhood, and a suggestion was made to hftJd fittings, of the Court at some place outefde of the town, bnt at no place so far distant as either Marton or Waitotara.

The importance of holding in or -^tSjacent to the town, is obvious, as it is necessary that Court files and other doqtfinents 'should be within easy reach of Ifiose who have business to transact. Tne congregating of the natives in the town for long periods is a strong argument in favour of holding more frequent sittings of the Court, thereby shortening the^jtime the natives- would be in attendance.

Tljse opinion of those who are in a position to know is that- more frequent and Tegular sittings of the Native Land Court wonW be a great convenience to both natives and Europeans, and better in every way,' for the natives. Cases would not accumulate to such an extent as has been the''«ase in the past; it would not be necessary for them to come- to town in such nuipbers, nor wpuJd^thej .be detained for suehT *a length qf time as bas been the case, for many years. . Wb consider that if regular sittings were leld, 4 and ijne natives induced to arrange their business as far as .possible before coming to Court, that the congregation of the natives in the town would be diminished, and would offer as a suggestion that a Resident Native Land Court Judge be 'appointed to this district, acting also as President of th e Aotea Land. Board, and that regular sittings of the Court be 1h»1<1 at certain places throughout this district. W^-feel sure in making this siiggcstio?! that it would be better for all concerned, and jwould facilitate , expedite the settlement' of the large areas of native land' in this district.

_ Considerable sums of moneji are now lying? here, and have been for more than 12 mojEtfns, awaiting i,Ue appointment of succeyfc*B. ' '

A«tonger notice should be given of sittragjS of the Appellate Court, a week only «7? begn £ lven ir * the case of the A P" pellate CbferVnow sittmg, many of those w "O*ave business there being as far away as tVflcaAnu.— Yours, etc ' f J. L. STEVENSON, Secretary, Wanganni Chamber of ' '1 '■ Commerce. ' \" ,