A HOPELESS MUDDLE.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 418, 18 February 1890, Page 2

A HOPELESS MUDDLE.

We have so repeatedly referred to the subject of Native land matters that it has assumed a degree of sameness which makes us hesitate before renewing it, but the importance of the question is a sufficient excuse for keeping up that interest which the public have lately shown in such matters. Last session of Parliament a great amount of energy was displayed in the endeavor to get some reform by which it would be possible to have a finality of the dreary and expensive work which has been such a great drawback in the past. By the appearance of things there was an excellent prospect of some really good work being done and and new life was seemingly imparted to j the dry bones of the Native Office. But i alas ! for those concerned, the seeming | enthusiasm of those in power to push on I the work vigorously was like the whim of S a schoolboy, who would throw his whole I energy into a thing until the novelty B wore oft’, and then leave it comI" pletely neglected. Native matters appear again to *be drifting into a more hopeless muddle than ever. An Act of Parliament was passed—not an entirely satisfactory one, but still of a progressive nature—and a good start was made in the right direction, things appearing to be progressing admirably, but what do we find now? Judge Barton, as to whose ability to disentangle the Poututu skein all parties were satisfied, was coolly taken from the case and instructed to sit on another case. In the Poututu case the work has been thrown back as far as ever, while in regard to the other case we have presented to us a spectacle which is the reverse of creditable. What we complain of is that a Judge is set to do a particular, work for which there is no doubt he has special ability, and then just when the case is being got well into, through some whim ot those in power the Judge is obliged to abandon the first case so as to go on with another, while suitors are left in a most unenviable mess, to say nothing of the expenses incurred. Why was not Judge Barton allowed to go on with the case he was at ? If this method of creating confusion is to continue it would be almost better to shut up the Courts altogether, for then the parties to a case would not be kept running on a wild-goose chase. If the machinery of the Courts cannot be made to run in some less irregular manner it is clear a very radical change is required. The Government were given credit for a desire to push on the work of getting titles adjusted, but the Act of last session has been rendered useless, because theGovernnient have neglected to appoint the Commissioner provided for. There has been a number of cases in this district which nearly every Judge has showtf a desire to evade, and they have always managed to do so. This system of shelving cases has been going on for nine or ten years, and now when we have a Judge who is able to grasp tbe position and has been granted powers to deal" thoroughly with the Poututu case, he is allowed to go on with it just so far as to tantalise suitors with a belief that some finality would be arrived nt, and then is transferred to a case which is said to be of much Uss importance. Such bungling is not very creditable to those to whom the administration ofaffalrshnsbeen entrusted, and had it not been made, the scene which occurred the other day could not have taken place.