Nothing, we admit, can be more prejudi cial to- the progress, not only of this pro vince but' of the colony, than continual changes in the land regulations. The stran ger who arrives in New Zealand will be sufficiently puzzled to find no less than seven different codes in this small colony, without each of the seven 1 being subject to constant alteration, at the ;i caprice of those who may be rulers for the day. But in the case of Hawke's Bay, such alteration is, we 1 fear, a. necessary evil.. The system of patchwork which" we have .derived from Wellington absolutely requires a thorough revision ; but we trust that such revision will be the-.resuk of the most careful deli

beration, and founded on justice to all par ties. One of the principal difficulties with which this question is beset, arises out of the system which was first adopted during Mr. Domett's commissionership, and which has been cominued until recently, — that of receiving applications for runs which are not yet acquired from the Maories. That this was illegal will not, we think, he now questioned — neither Mr. Domett, Mr, Fox, nor Mr. Tiffen having had authori ty to deal with native lands. The Provin cial Council itself has no such power ; nor, indeed has the General Assembly. But other considerations beyond the mere law of the case are involved in the discussion of this matter, and the claims in equity on the part of applicants for runs whose de posits have been accepted by the authori ties for the time being, will probably afford matter for long debate at the March meet ing of the Council. The point is one, by the way, upon which the present govern ment is not unlikely to stand or fall — the oft-expressed opinion of the Superintendent being, that the province is not bound to give such applicants the benefit of a very questionable claim, arising out of an ille gal act of the officers of that government from which we have now been mercifully rescued. Since writing the above we have been informed that a circular has been issued by the General Government to the Superin tendents of provinces, to the effect that any new regulations will have to be passed by the General Assembly. 