Native Land Question.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 246, 12 January 1889, Page 2

Native Land Question.

At the County Council meeting yesterday a letter was read from the Borough Council asking the co-operation of the Council in urging on the Government the necessity of holding a continuous sitting of the Native Land Court in Gisborne.

The Chairman thought they should do all in their power to draw the attention of the Government to this matter. It was about two years since a Land Court was held here, other than sittings held by Mr Booth, and there had been a glut of work here for years back. Cr King considered the Council should adopt the suggestions in the letter, and urge the Government to get some of the back work done.

Cr Stubbs agreed with what had been said. The present system of working the Land Courts was a scandal and disgrace. He knew that during last year the Court not only adjourned from day to day but from week to week, and those who had business with it had to dance attendance, not knowing when their cases would come on, and in a great many oases the trouble and expense were more than the land was worth. After thinking the matter over carefully he had framed a resolution, which he would move. [The resolution set forth the ths wrong and inconvenience which both natives and Europeans had labored under for want ot Land Court, and stated that cases had been standing over for years, to the detriment of settlement. The Council therefore urged the Native Minister to have an immediate and continuoua sitting of the Native Land Court in this district.] It was a matter which they all felt He knew that the want of a Court here had kept back settlement in the district. There oould be no objection on the score of expense, as the expenses of the judges were more than paid by the fees. Cr King seconded the resolution. The Chairman thought the resolution was not too strongly worded. He was almost inclined to make it stronger, but perhaps it was better to leave it as it was. It was an iniquitous scandal that the land should be tied up aS it had been for so many years. The only judge who did any good work was Judge Wilson, who did more work in two or three months than alt the other Judges who had been here since his time. The judges seemed to come here on a year’s salary, and with instructions to do nothing, which instructions they obeyed. He thought * public meeting should be held.

Th* resolution waa unanimously carried.