THE GISBORNE STANDARD AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published Every Tuesday, Thursday, AND Saturday Morning. Thursday, May 29, 1890. STIFF-NECKED.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 460, 29 May 1890, Page 2

THE GISBORNE STANDARD AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published Every Tuesday, Thursday, AND Saturday Morning.

Thursday, May 29, 1890. STIFF-NECKED.

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

If any hope could possibly be entertained of the usefulness of the Native Land Commission which opened its sittings in Whinray’s Hall on Tuesday, that hope must have been dashed to the ground when the elevated position taken up was made known. The first case taken, that of the Tokomaru block, is a peculiar one in many respects, and the most recent phase of the case is very interesting, if it cannot be said to be hopeful, or be pointed to as an instance of liberal treatment being accorded to the natives. When Mr Gannon, a licensed interpreter, offered to appear on behalf of the natives concerned, the Commission ruled that non-professional persons could not appear, though the natives might appear in person. In this case, it may be pointed out, Mr Gannon has long been acting. Of the merits of the thing it would not be right for us to speak, but this we do know that Mr Gannon was deputed to go to Wellington to back up a petition to the House on behalf of the natives. The petition was quietly shelved for the time being, and application was then made to the Supreme Court to delay subdivision until the dispute had been settled. The application was successful, and the next step taken in the matter is the application to the Commission. As all parties no doubt desire a final settlement, perhaps the la*;t move would be deemed the one most likely to lead to a settlement. A settlement it may mean, so far as the legal points involved are concerned, but that it will be a satisfactory one is hardly to be hoped for in view of the position taken up by the Commisssion. The natives are now placed in tbis strait. They have had acting for them one whose ability in such matters no one can doubt, and one whose special knowledge is acquired only by long and careful study of his special line of business. Though he has conductedthecase very ably, heis now told that the high and superior Commission will have none of him. The natives will either have to go to the enormous expense of retaining legal gentlemen (who will naturally expect to be remunerated for the time and attention that will be required to go into the details and work up the case), or else they will have to appear personally, in all their ignorance of such ornate legal formalities. When a tribunal is entrusted with such enormous power we should think it would allow great latitude in the desire to get at the bottom of things, and that stiff-necked formality would be left to bodies whose power is more in show than in substance.

The following section of the Act may be useful in considering what were the real intentions of the Legislature “ The Commissioners shall not be bound by any legal rules of evidence or precedents, and may appoint counsel or agent (to be paid from the fund provided for witnesses’ expenses) to appear and act for any Native or Natives who, in the opinion of the Commissioners, ought to be allowed such assistance, and would otherwise be unable to obtain it.”