THE CLOSING SCENE.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 475, 3 July 1890, Page 2

THE CLOSING SCENE.

THE END OF THE NATIVE LAND COMMISSION, Historian of the future, when the nineties you portray. Don’t forget the great Commission—the glory of our day 1 That mighty, grand Commission, which like a meteor bright Flashed brief above the horizon, then vanished into night ! And when its work you picture, when its triumphs you unfold, — The victories of horsehair wigs whose every shake meant gold,— With its judgments so enlightened, its president supreme; Spare, please, a little canvas to depict , this closing scone. AN HISTOniC BUILDING Tbe building known as Whinray’s Hall has no classical surroundings, neither can it pretend to any great reputation from an architectural poi.it of view. In .fact there is nothing about the building which will attract more than passing attention from the ordinary observer. And yet who knows but that some Macaulay of the future will grope about its ruins hoping by the sight of some half rottea plan to gain an iuspira'ion for a brilliant word picture, or with the aid of some rustworn nail to obtain an inkling of an historical event which took place within the walls of that building ? Long after Whinray is dead and gone, and long after the hall which bears his name has fallen a victim of time and the elements, that name will s'ill live in history in connection with a momentous occurrence which took place during the first half of this year of grace 1890. This event was none other than the gigantic and well meant effort to settle by Commission and red tape the troubles of a score of years. Historians will tell of hnw in a few short weeks a couple of grave and sombre Commissioners, like a pair of St. Patricks, banished from our midst the native land difficulty which had been the bane of the coast for years—or thought they had. ST. I’ATBICK AT WOBK. Night had fallen, and within that historic hail there was a blaze of gas light. The Commissioners had eat through a long and weary day, listening to the intermitting burets of forensic and native eloquence which echoed ever and anon from among the otherwise attentive audience which occupied the earpetoovered seats. It seemed as it the end was near, and tbe facea of all gleamed fi fully beneath the gas light in anxious expectancy of an early release—and refreshment. Commissioner Ormsby leaned back in his chair and seemed to be considering some problem at the further end of the hall. It was iu that direction that tbe door was situated, but the Commissioner’s face did not disclose whether that had anything to do with his thoughts. The President turned over the leaves of hia minute book, and in a few moments settled down to write out hia report. He wrote rapidly, ceasing only now and then to listen to some ejaculatory remark more than ordinarily interesting that fell from some one in Court.

SOME OF THE AFFUaTENANCES. Beneath their Lordships, or Commissionerships, or whatever the Parliament or Government had pleased to make them, Mt, or rather lolled, the youthful and intelligentlooking secretary, w-iose principal intellectual occupation at that moment was to find bow far ha could raise his knee above the table without being guilty of contempt of Court. Not far removed from him eat another gentleman who “ boro hie blushing honor! thick upon him,” none other thau our old friend Lieutenant-Colonel Porter, presenting a strong physical contrast to the wiry little secretary, who io not even a captain in the Salvation Army. Tbe Colonel talks Maori like a book, and acts as interpreter-general to the Commissioners. Next comes the bar. We would like to describe them accurately, tut we have never bean able to look a lawyer straight in tbe face lest we should seam to be inviting the gods to send a libel action upon us; suffice it to say that though tha bar were not numerically strong they bad excellent representatives in the two learned gentlemen who held the floor of the Court for ths time being. Tho picture w,ould be incomplete it ths associates of those legal luminaries were left out in the cold, Messrs Day and Lucas acting their respective parts with all the dignity that the occasion required.

COMING TO TERMS. It is unnecessary to deaenbe tha audience. Many were there simply out of curiosity, others bad not even that excuse, while some seemed to be struck with tha brilliant idea that being there, they ought to have somathing to say, and when Mr Rees had gone through tbe lengthy task of reading through the agreement to which counsel had come, Wi Pore rose to speak. He wanted explanations of this clausa, and ot that one, and whin he fell short of ideas he fell back on Epiha, or George Parau, who made an excellent lieutenant, and between them they managed to consume a little time. All the objections they raised, Mr Rees combatted, and the President goodnaturedly told Wi Pure that most of his objections had been raised and abandoned before. But Wi Pere had the floor, and be stuck manfully to his post. Vainly the President hinted it was near dinner time—the pangs of hunger had no terrors for Wi. Several people got on their legs, all to sit down without speaking, and still Wi held on. Butene Koroua got up and said, to end all the discussion, he would consent to agreement, and still Wi held on. The President reminded Wi that he wasn't on the floor of the House, and stonewalling had gone out of fashion, and still Wi held on. Then Wi having settled the agreement to his own satisfaction, wanted to make some comments on the whole affair. Tbe President hinted he must be brief; Wi heard, but still held on. Tbe other Commissioner spoke upon various matters, which were as Greek to the pakehas, but which our representative guessed to be an attempt to explain, in Waikato idiom, points which the wily Wi knew more about than any dozen Commisaionere that would be selected from h ; s own race. Wi listened respectfully, bat a’.itl ha held on. But every lane must have a turning, and Wi banded hie position to his second. Epiba was quite satisfied with the agreement, but for one thing. He hunted about in his brain for the one thing, and, after considerable delay, raked up something which had already been raised, aud despatched hours bafore. George couldn't find any other 11 one thing,” and be uollapsed.

ANY OBJECTIONS ‘ “Ask the old man,” said the Commissioner, “ what he thinks of it ? * The old man agreed, and the Commis-ioner said he was sensible; he didn’t waste more words then were necessary. Then as no one else desired to air his eloquence, the Commissioner called for objections, but ncno were forthcoming. The Maoris seemed inclined to take a vote on the matter, and put up their right hands, “in the usual way," without being asked, but as all were for the affirms tire, such a course was unnecessary. There however seemed to be a fascination about the Court, which kept the Maoris in its precincts, and the Secretary commenced to turn down the gas, as a gentle hint that gas of another kind should be turned off. The hint was taken, and the audience departed in peace, leaving the Commissioners and the bar in the half lighted hall to complete soma formal business. And thus died the Commission 1 The first matter given it to settle was unsettled, the second settled itself. Surely a great record, and one that will live in history I