The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.
Thursday, February 5, 1891. TAKING THE SOUNDINGS.
Be just aud fear not; Let all the ends thou aim's! at be thy country's, Thy God’s, and truth's.
A new era is about to dawn for the East Coast, and at this distance it seems to be one full of hope and promise for our future prosperity. Year after year we have struggled with the Native land difficulty, and the only result so far of the efforts to extricate ourselves has been to become more and more entangled. When less than eighteen months ago it was intimated that a Commission which would settle all difficulties and overcome all the baneful effects of prior legislation was to be appointed, there beamed a ray of hope. But when it was found that that Commission surrounded itself with all the mock dignity and redtapeisnt that it could command, it was at once seen that it would be worse than useless—it would do harm. There is an astonishing amount of ignorance upon this Native land question among pur legislators. They are, however, willing to be taught. The unfortunate part of it was that those who endeavored to teach them had themselves a certain amount of self-interest in the question which rendered their teaching at least suspicious. What has been suggested over and over again, and what was required to dispel this ignorance, is a Commission which shall have power to enquire into the various transactions which have taken place, and report as to the legrslation necessary to meet the various cases. Upon the report of such a Commission there should be little difficulty in founding legislation which should protect all bona fide transactions while it conserved the interests of the natives in the other cases. It speaks well for the intelligence of the present Government that they saw and accepted at once the situation, and before they have been a month in office have appointed such a Commission. The nature of this Commission requires that its members should have special knowledge, and we know of few men — in or out of the House—who are better fitted for the Commission than the gentlemen appointed. Messrs Rees and Carroll are men of sterling ability who have the power to make valuable suggestions. Both gentlemen have had long and varied experience in this and the Hawke’s Bay district. They have the confidence of the majority of thinking Europeans, and among the natives each of their names is quite familiar*:. If there is any man who can get the natives to agree to fair legislation that man is Mr W. L. Rees, and his exertions in the Whangara case, where for the time he was opposed by the natives, gave adequate proof of his powers in this direction. He has a large experience of native land Jaws, and knows every weak point in the documents of a purchaser. On the other hand there is no man who will more readily put his foot down on anything in the shape of a fraud. And that is what is wanted. No man who has bought bona fide and has paid any. thing like a fair price should be afraid of his investigations. As for Mr Carroll, he is respected by Maori and European alike. He is yet a young man, but has won for himself golden opinions from all. With a little more application he might almost command any position he wished to possess. He has intimate knowledge of Maori character and Maori customs, and possesses excellent judgment. We are not yet informed as to the scope of the Commssion, but neither of the Commissioners is likely to be satisfied with any half measures. They will earn the grateful thanks of this district and of their country if they can assist in unravelling our native land maze, and have it replaced by simple and intelligent laws.
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Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 566, 5 February 1891, Page 2
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658The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Thursday, February 5, 1891. TAKING THE SOUNDINGS. Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 566, 5 February 1891, Page 2
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