EVIDENCE RELATIVE TO THE ORIGIN

in matters affecting their real welfare. There was no urgency displayed in this matter, no desire to hasten it, but ample time was given to all parties to put forward their claims; and not only was there ample time given but claims were solicited and hunted up in every direction in Taranaki iiself. Yet, with the exception of the two trihes who sold the land on the banks of the Waitara, and another tribe on the banks of the Waiongana, who were joint claimants to a part of the block, no substantial claims were put in. If I were to say that no other claims were adduced I should be wrong, but I mean no substantial claims, no claims that could be recognized by the Government, or which would be regarded by the natives as valid. Certainly one man told me that his grandfather had once lived a jhort time on the land, and that he therefore expected compensation. Another told me that in one of their fights he was wounded and suffered greac inconvenience there, and therefore thought it was right that he should have some consideration now that the land was sold. Now, this is the class of claims of which I have just been speaking, which it is clearly the duly of the Gcvernn ent to resist, as otherwise it would be an utter impossibility to carry out any purchase of land wnhoul defrauding the real owners. By compensaiii g this cl.'ss of claimants, the re.'i owners would be deprived of what they are fairly entitled to, and merely because the Government chose to recognize ficiiiious claims of this character. What I maimain on the present occasion is, that ihe actual owners of the soil, the men known and recognized us such, have been conferred with, and their consent to the sale obtained. With respect to the nflvr of this land to the Governor at Taranaki, 1 may t.tate that great pains were taken both previously to and after the offer, to inquire who the real claimants were, and to settle with them. And here, I should not orn-t one imporiaut fact that, in settling with them, a section of the Puketapu tribe which is located in the vicinity of the Waitara, was associated with Te Ti ira, Retimana, and others in effecting this sale. These men were exceedingly jealous of the offer when it wasfirsi made and were on the eve of protesting altogether against thesaleol Uie land. I heir claims were at once admitted by the selling , paity, but it was rather difficult toeff ct a satisfactory arrangement at once between the parlies. It happened that they were too distinct and it was this which caused the difficulty. During the investigation which took place, and while the difficulty was being atljustrd, I felt convinced that the cla ms thin preferred by these conflicting parties wen- substantially good, and that in fact the sale must be proceeded with, or otherwise the natives who had oftlrt-d iht- land would be treated with great injustice. The officer whom I instructed to conduct die negotiation (Mr. District Commissioner Parris), was requested to persevere in his inquiries inio the matli-r from time to time; not in any way to hasten the arrangement, hut to give full opportunity to opposing claimants to come forward and state iheir case. He not only did this, but he also look a great dal of trouble in visiting, as far as lay in his power, every part ot his district, to make sure that there should be no substantial claim overlooked. I have already stated that there was a public notification Irom myself inviting all persons who had claims to bring ihem forward in order that they might be carefully investigated. No fresh claims were recorded however; no rights were shewn by the Bativec who opposed the sale, except the right which the land-league conferred upon them, that of claiming land everywhere, and of opposing the sale of land everywhere. In the officer wiio conducted the negotiaiion I place the most implicit reliance. He was on very friendly terms with William King and was universally liked by the natives of the district. He was instrumental lam almost certain, on one occasion, in s ving the life ol William King when a trap had been laid for him, by Ihaia, and a party of Wauganui Natives. It was with great regret that 1 heard this officer's character assailed—a man who has taken such an interest in the welfare of the Natives of his district since he has been there, and who has used all his influence to prevent the disgraceful feuds continually being carried on in the district, frequently with the greatest success; and who has, in carrying out these duties, more than once run the risk of losing his own life. 1 regret exceedingly to find a public officer, who devotes his time to the interests of the community in which he resides, stigmatised in the manner in which Mr. Parris has been. I should have much preferred that any reflection in connection with this purchase should have been at once .directed to myself, by whose instructions it was carried out; I should have preferred this, to hearing an officer thus stigmatised who is certainly worthy of a better reward. I passed over from Taranaki, where the transaction had been so far initiated, and went almost directly to the Natives in Queen Charlotte's Sound, who were claimants to this block. I had a meeting of them at Waikawa, having first intimated to them by letter that I was coming, and the whole of the Natives there, alter a careful enquiry into the extent, position, description of boundaries, and the rival claims of the Natives, agreed to sell their own interest in the land, besides a considerable extent of territory lying beyond the boundaries of the offered block. I devoted as much time as I was able to this investigation. I knew that these were the real claimants, and I found a great deal of unanimity among them about the sale of the laud. (In reply to Mr. Fox) —The date of my letter to them is the 9th of April, and the interview took place on the 12th of April, 1859. The Chief Ropoatna, who offerred to dispose of his claim, was recognised as the head of the hapus or sub-divisions of the Ngatiawa tribe, who owned the land and sold it. He holds x high position among his people, and is much respected by the Europeans. On several occasions it was contemplated by the Natives of Waitara to invite him there, and to live among them as their Chief, to keep peace and order in the tribe. In this arrangement Wra. King (about whose Lhieftaiiiship we have heard so much, and who undoubtedly was a Chief of the section of the Ngatiawa at W aikanae) acquiesced. No actual payment or promise of payment was made to the Natives at Queen Charlotte's Sound at that time. When they informed me that they had agreed to sell the land, my reply to them was, that they had better wait until matters had been finally arranged at Waitaia, as i should not feel myself justified in concluding the purchase with them till tfi i. Having arranged with them that they should be paid after matters were settled at Taranaki, I left Ropoama's place for Wellington, where I notified to the Natives what had taken place with reference

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