THE WAIKATO COMMITTEE.

F—No. 3

C —No. 3. Appendix C. Paetai Court House, July Slet, 1857. NAMVE D^ E O * ESI>OIf ' Friend the Governor, — ' Salutations to you. This is our word to you, we wish to sow our land with grass, and do you Recommended that the give us some seed. We wish to keep sheep, and our land is good, and Mr. Fenton has seen it. We writerB be informed that have nine fields (or portions): do you give us 30 bags of good seed, and let it be without sorreh So chasedTn Auckland »"<jl auds our words to you from us. per bushel. From Wiremtj Wheoro, An 13 T h "° s - H < S *' lH - Pene Wharepu, KehEIHI KUKUTAI, Recommended. His Excellency the Governor, And all our Tribes. E - w - staffoh*. Auckland. Aug ; 20,185 /- „ „ Approved—T. G. B, Aug. 29 This letter is dated July 13, and has a Minute on dated August 13, but only reached me on the 29th.—T. G. 8., Aug. 29.^ Memorandum for the Hon. the Colonial Secretary—The question of the Government making a present of grass seed to Waikato Natives was, as will be seen by other letters (T57, 941, herewith) on the same subject, under consideration just before, and not, I think, altogether decided when the Colonial Treasurer left, The Colonial Treasurer, I presume, kept this application until that decision was made, in order that a similar principle might be applied to these applicants. It will be seen that the writers of this letter do not ask for information as to the market price of grass seed, but solicit a present of "thirty bags of good ,oed —W. Gisbokne, 30lh Aug. 1857. Mr. Baker—Reply to writers in accordance with Minute.—T. H. Smith, Sept. 7th.

C—No. 4. Taupiri, Waikato, August sth, 1857. Friend the Governor, — Should His Excellency Salutations to you. This is our word to you, do you listen; we wish to commence rearing*PP roTe °[ the *"? gesti ° tt sheep, and we have allotted a piece of ground for that purpose ; it is an old cultivation, the fern is all the Assistant Native se 7 - dead, and it is in good order. We wish to sow our land with grass and clover, lest it be overrun with cretary upon a letter adsorrel, and other noxious weeds. But we have no seed, therefore 0 our father, we request you to eive!l r< V !sed , to n. the Hon ' '116l 16 i iiT-1 till* ii ii 'i.ii»» Colonial treasurer by us some seed. We wish to sow the land this year, lest the ground be overrun with evil weeds. Mr, Mr. Fenton in connection Fenton has seen the length and breadth of the land, and he will be able to tell you more about it, as wMh tnis sub J ect > an 4 he has heard all we have to say. This is all. If^r"^ From TAKEREI Tb EAU. sary arrangements, the Taneti Paeturi. writer raa y be referred to him. The reply to Takerei should express His Excellency's satisfaction on hearing that the people of Waikato are turning their attention to sheep farming and the improvement of their waste lands Trios. H. Smith, Aug. nth. Approved—T. G. 8., Aug. 14. Mr. Baker—Reply accordingly —T. H. S„ Aug, 17. C—No. 5. Auckland, August 20, 1857. Friends, — Salutations to you. Your letter has been received by the Governor, in which you ask to be supplied with grass and clover seed to sow your land. His Excellency says that he will send word to Mr. Fenton about this matter, and if he is willing to undertake the business, then you two can apply to him. Friends, His Excellency is very much pleased that the people of Waikato are turning their attention to this work, viz., keeping sheep and sowing the waste lands and old cultivations with grass and clover ; this is a very good work in His Excellency's estimation. From your friend, To Takerei Te Rau and Taneti Paetuti, T. H. Smith. Taupiri, Waikato. C—No. 6. Auckland, September 29, 1857. "". » übroi « eil «"" „ . , , « ' r ' Takerei owes the Governiriend the broyernor, — ment £ 2 io. and at the Salutations to you. Do you hearken. Dq.you give me Fifty Pounds Qf 50) to purchase grass rate of his present ieand clover (seed) to enable us to grow good grasses. These are the names of the men ; I now tell J^ 6 ™™ 18 ™ c ta *Jj, g them to you, Takerei, '''aneti, Pukewhau, Karaka Hika Parati, Te Kereihi, Te Kau Te Kapihana, f e »sed loyalty is becoming Te Ponui, Takoki, Ratima, Wiremu Te Wheoro. to ° expensive! more es*rom iakerei. wident that „ proceeilf from mercenary motives. In this case, however, the Government appear to be more or less pledged to give assistance ; I therefore submit that a sum not exceeding £i 0 may he advanced to Takerei to expend in the purchase of grass seed—Donald McLean, Ist October, 1857. Takerei was informed verbally that £10 would be advanced to him, but he never applied for the money j he complained that the sum was insufficient. —T. H.S' As the faith of the Government is pledged in this instance, it is most essential especially with reference to the present Native feeling in the Waikato district, that the promise be adhered to. Takerei's loyalty may be expensive, so is the turbulence and disloyalty of many other Natives—Te Wherowhero to wit. lam not aware that he is more mercenary than others, if the loan and present system pursued for years is to be taken as a criterion. 1 should like to have (he particulars of the £-210 debited to him E. W, S., October 3, 1857Approved—T. G. 8., October 6Taksbhi —For a horse, Dec, 1853, £80, for plough ditto £10, for a mill Sept. 1856, £160—Total, £250. Repaid ou account of first loan ) £4 0 , Balance, £210'

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