CHAP. IX.] FOR THE NATIVES? 143 



aware that they possess such rights. They disposed 

 several years ago of the larger part of the islands to 

 Europeans, and they acknowledge the titles of those 

 who have purchased from them. It has been said 

 that the natives are now strangers on the soil, that 

 they have sold all their land, and that nothing re- 

 mains to them. This is not quite the case. Well 

 acquainted with the nature of their country and the 

 capabilities of the soil in the different districts, they 

 have generally retained such parts as were best 

 suited for cultivation ; but in some instances they 

 have not made any such reserve. According to 

 European law, the new proprietor would in these 

 cases be entitled to remove the native inhabitants 

 from their land ; such, however, can never be al- 

 lowed in New Zealand, and this point calls for the 

 special interference of Government. The deeds of 

 purchase have almost always been written in a 

 foreign language and in a vague form, and the pur- 

 chases were often conducted without a proper in- 

 terpreter being present. Where the natives had 

 made no particular reserve for themselves, the land 

 was sold by them with the implied understanding 

 that they should continue to cultivate the ground 

 which they and their forefathers had occupied from 

 time immemorial ; it never entered into their minds 

 that they could be compelled to leave it and to 

 retire to the mountains. There was, perhaps, an 

 understanding between the parties that the seller 

 should not be driven off by the buyer ; but this was 



