The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, January 31, 1891.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 564, 31 January 1891, Page 2

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

Saturday, January 31, 1891.

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

THE NEW NATIVE MINISTER. The portfolio of Native Minister is one in regard to which special interest is. felt on the East Coast, and if the importance of native land matters were properly comprehended the position would be regarded as of nearly equal consequence to that of Premier. The transforming of the native lands from a wilderness to a great source of production would do more towards promoting the progress of the colony than any new measures that can be submitted by a Liberal or a Conservative Government. The question should be in no way trammelled by party or personal feelings. That has been the great trouble in the past: nobody could be got to take an active interest in the matter beyond those who have themselves got so mixed up in land transactions that they could only look at the subject from their own point of view. Things | k have been much altered in the new Par'iament, and the interest is not likely to die out until something has been done—that something will be sheer idiocy if it is not better than the existing state of things. The appointment of Mr Cadman to the position of Native Minister is also a good sign There are men on the Government side who have perhaps a better acquaintance with native land matters, and in some respects Mr Cadman will be at a disadvantage. His constituency makes him directly more concerned with mining and forest matters than with native land affairs, but he is a straightforward, industrious man who will take care to make himself throughly acquainted with anything he undertakes. He has had good Parliamentary experience, and is an unobtrusive member who brings sound, practical com-mon-sense as his chief recommendation. Personally he is a very popular man, and is not likely to bind his limbs with red tape so as to unfit himself for action. Mr Cadman’s character will indeed have been misjudged if he does not show that he will not allow the present" idiotic state of things to exist a day 1 nger than he can see his way clear to afford a remedy Local feeling in Gisborne migfit have been more considered if the East Coast representative had been given a seat in the Cabinet, but in reality the interests of the district will be better served by his remaining free from the responsibilities of office. Any person who fulfils his duty when occupying the office of Naiive Minister must bestow a great deal of attention on the important East Coast district, which has been so distressed by the so-called native land laws. But were the district also the constituency of the Minister there would be the danger of outside jealousies being raised, and the suspicion created that undue attention was being paid to a special locality Mr Cadman will be free from any such embarrassment, and Mr Kelly will perhaps be able in a few months to confer a greater benefit on the East Coast than - it has had..during the whole time Parliamentary government has existed in the colony. Things are all trending in that direction at the present time, and it is with very gratifying feelings we notice, that able Southern members are now actively concerning themselves in native matters. Whatever, particular benefit would be conferred upon this portion of the colony it would only be in proportion to the great gain to the colony itself. It is now tolerably certain that the Commission moved for by Mr Rees will be appoint-d, and its importance should be fully realised by those interested in the matter. In case of the extension of the powers of the Commission the monstrous fees should be reduced so that men of small means , may not be shut out .altogether. It must, if its decisions are made worth having, be converted into something more than a Court for the sole use of , moneyed men.