27

C—No. 3

The late Government of New Munster, it is stated, paid RawiriPaaha and the Ngatitoa tribe of the North Island £150 for the country from Wairau to Kaiapoi on the ground of their asserted conquest of it some 15 years since or more when lead by E auperaha. Ngaitahu deny the right of Ngatitoa to sell, Ist. Because if it is to rest on conquests the right still remains to them the original possessors of the soil. For in their last affairs with Ngatitoa they pursued Eauperaha as far as Port Underwood under Tukawaoiki or Bloody Jack —driving him off the coast of Kapara-te-hau (to whalers " cobler's hole" at the mouth of the Owhetero or Blind River west of Cape Campbell ; and subsequently in an affair at Fighting Boy, which lies between Port Underwood and Tory Channel, the Ngaitahu destroyed one Canoe full of the Ngatitoa, whose deaths have never since been avenged. 2dly. If the right is to appertain to occupation and possession the Ngaitahu have ever since their asserted conquest and these subsequent affairs remained in undisturbed occupation of the lands in question. This is proved by the Pas they have occupied at Kengerengu (Keggeregoo of Whalers) Parikawakawa and now occupy at Waipapa, Ohau, Kaikoura, Amihi, Mikonui and Amuri Bluff. 3rdly. That if it be conceded that they were conquered by Rauperaha he never occupied or possessed their country so as to maintain his right to it in accordance with Maori Custom. The whole of the country from Pari-nui-o-whiti southwards has long been occupied by sheep owners, but the Kaikoura people have never received one shilling for it, with this exception only, Sir George Grey in about October 1852 paid £50 to Whakatou for the surrender of Waiopuka, Fyfe's Whaling Station on Kaikoura Peninsula N. E. extreme. A promise it is stated was then made by the Governor to have this purchase marked off and surveyed ; the promise has not been fulfilled. About this time some Surveyor sent by the Government of New Munster to chain along the Coast from Half Moon Bay to Waipapa was turned off the ground by Kaikoura and his people in assertion of their ownership. By a census taken recently for the Nelson Government, as I understood them to say, the Kaikoura Maories numbered 78, of all ages and sexes, since increased by two births. They reside or cultivate at Waipapa, Ohau, Te Hapuku, Maunga. Mahuira, Wainuaiarara, Kaikoura Pa, and Mikonui. Ihaia Rawiri, Raihauea, and Whakatou, are their principal men. On enquiring I learnt that Kaikoura received some of the money paid by Mr. Mantell for the purchase he was employed in 1848-49 and 50 in making as for north as Kaiapoi. But that this was given by his kinsmen to Whakatou (Kaikoura) as a present not as a right,—and in consideration of his connection with the owners of land about Moeraki, Waiatemati, and Timaru. Kaikoura (or Whakatou) and his people commission me to offer to surrender to the Crown the whole; of their lands as claimed by them. The payment to be the same as that recently made for Akaroa and about to be made for Kaiapoi, viz., £150. They retain two reserves, viz., of 400 acres at Waipapa old Fishery, extending southwards towards Ohau, aud one of 600 acres at the Kahutara River, extending northwards towards Waioruaraki ; or such other reserves as may be agreed to on a mutual iuspection of the Country by purchaser and seller. The reserves to be distinctly marked out and surveyed as soon as possible after payment is made. Copies of the Survey and Deed of conveyance to be lodged with the vendors. Enquiry at Nelson and Wellington, and search among the Records of New Munster, now lodged at Auckland, will prove the value of the facts stated by Whakatou. Assuming them to be correct and that his title is good, at least as far north as Waipapa, where his people actually now have residences, the proposal appears highly advantageous to us, as Government have already so far recognised their title &s to buy a portion of Kaikoura Peninsula. I feel bound to recommend that this opportunity be seized upon of satisfying, for the small sum of £150, a claim over not less than 1,200,000 acres of countiy, and at the same time of dealing honourably and fairly by the ostensibly rightful owners whose property we have now so long been enjoying. The land offered is all in the Province of Nelson, and as a Survey is now going on in the vicinity of Amuri it would not cost much to detach a Surveyor to mark out the reserves; a reference to the admiralty chart of New Zealand will shew its position. The northern portion is very mountainous and in a great degree useless for anything but sheep-farming ; but the remainder contains much fine available level land and some of the finest mountain pasture in Middle Island. The land about the proposed reserves is quite unfitted for the purposes of Europeans. In regard to the quantity it will be a matter of indifference if they retain 2,000 acres at Waipapa which is covered with high precipitous spurs of the Kaikoura mountains. It should be remarked that the Akaroa and Wairewa Natives, numbering about 90, or less, retain 1,200 acres, an amount which seems barely sufficient for them, as they own some 80 head of Stock, and have already applied to rent 400 acres of the pasturage just sold by them to the Crown at Little River. (Wairewa) the Kaikoura Maories also own some cattle and horses. At my interview with Whakatau to-day, I was for the first time informed that a branch of the Ngaitahu tribe known as Putini or Arahuru, own the country Westwards from the central mountain range of Middle Island to the West Coast. Putini and Arahuru, where they reside, are now used indifferently for the West Coast or its inhabitants. These numbered 97 according to Mr. Brunner in J 847. After the Kaiapoi and Kaikoura lands are purchased there will, as I understand the Maories to say, still be left those of the Putini branch of the Ngaitahu, as the progress of the settlers on the Eastern. Coast will soon lead to the exploring and occupation of the upper parts of the Putini country, in the same manner, probably, as that of the Kaikoura country ; I mean without any recognition of the rights or claims of the Maori occupants. lam of opinion that the Government is called upon to take an early opportunity of setting at rest the last Native claim which I conceive it will then be possible to raise for land in this Island.