The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Thursday, June 27, 1889. BEHIND THE TIMES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 317, 27 June 1889, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Thursday, June 27, 1889. BEHIND THE TIMES.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth's.

It has become regarded as a task requiring almost superhuman effort to achieve anything in the way of reform in the Native Land Court Department, but in a district whose prospects are so greatly dependent upon the wise administration of native affairs, there is no other sensible course left than to persistently continue our fire upon the ponderous barricade that is set up against reform. Frequently it has been said that the constitution of the Native Land Courts is rotten to the core, but unfortunately the edifice is sufficiently strong not to tumble to pieces, of its own weakness, to be supplanted by something of a more healthy growth. As people become more enlightened in regard to the evils that are perpetuated in connection with this Department there is some probability of a change for the better being made; until then, there does not appear to be much reason for hope. Still, it is well to direct the public attention to these matters. In Gisborne there have now accumulated some fifty applications for rehearing, and these can only be adjudicated upon by the Chief Judge himself, and that gentleman seems to be a great deal fonder of drawing his pay, wrung from the burdened taxpayer, than he is of attending to those duties which his conscience at any rate ought to forbid him to ignore. The stern reminder of public opinion might have some effect in drawing his attention to it. He might make a nice little holiday trip to Gisborne, without any great exertion on his part, and though he would perhaps find us a humdrum lot of people, he should not forget that he is in the public service, to the support of which even the humdrum class of people have to contribute. Possibly, as we have previously been assured, Chief Judge Seth Smith has become so inured to the torpor that permeates his Department, that neither prayers nor imprecations can move him, but we hope that in the mere suggestion of such a thing we do him a wrong; nothing should please us better than that he would rouse himself and prove to the taxpayers that we have wandered beyond our depth—that, in fact, the Chief Judge of the Land Court is a model of energy and businesslike promptitude and we ourselves have misunderstood him. What we want to see is a determined effort to promote that settlement of the land which is referred to so approvingly in the Governor’s speech ; that platitudes and official stupor should give place to an earnest and practical effort towards the adjustment of land titles, and allow people the opportunity of diverting their capital and energy to the reaping of the produce of the earth instead of confining them to the wearisome and sickly task of trying to instil reason into the' Native Circumlocution Office.

Many striking cases may be given in illustration of the effect of the neglect to which we allude, but where the indictment against the department is of so comprehensive a nature, there is no necessity to go into details. But there are many who have never studied the question, and it may be as well to briefly explain the position of things. When an application for rehearing is made to the Court only the Chief Judge has the power to deal with it, or he may appoint a deputy ; but while these applications are undisposed of everything is kept at a standstill, and a state of uncertainty is created which by promptness might be completely avoided. About 50 of such applications now wait the convenience of the Chief Judge, but he does not seem to be much concerned as to the convenience of the applicants, and tho large number of other persons interested. In one case that we know of tho Department has been communicated with, to ascertain when there is any probability of the cases being decided upon, but those to whom the communication was addressed have not even had the courtesy to reply. Another instance that may be given is a case in which an application was made for a rehearing, but on the weakness of the position being subsequently thought over, the application was wisely withdrawn. Yet the Chief Judge absolutely refuses to recognise the withdrawal until he has come to Gisborne to dispose of the applications generally I In the meantime the land is kept tied tin, and the parties,£ the honesty of I wYtase claims has been upheld by the I

Court, have to bear a heavy expense and continual worry because an absurd official routine must be gone through before the Court can acknowledge the justice of claims which have been upheld by the Court itself, and the justice of which even the unsuccessful parties frankly acknowledge. The majority of people could hardly believe it possible for such a state of things to exist, but that it does there is proof indisputable. We hope that this matter will not be allowed to rest until this district has had some attention paid to it, and that eventually the Department may undergo a change so radical that the working of it may be more consonant with the age in which we live.