OE NATIVE RESERVES.

D.—No. 16.

19

Mr. Tanered, M.H.8., has for some time had charge, as Commissioner, of the Kaiapoi Native Eeserve. It would be to the benefit of the Natives if he were given local charge of all interests connected with Native Beserves in the Brovince. I made copies of plans as in the margin,* and which I have placed in the hands of the lithographers as an appendix to this report. In 1857 Mr. Commissioner Hamilton wrote : —"I have the honor to suggest that for the protection of the interests of the Maoris of this Province, it is highly desirable that complete copies of documents connected with all purchases of land from the Natives should be filed in some public office, so as to be accessible to them, or to persons acting in their behalf." I would respectfully recommend that this idea should be carried out. I have had, at your direction, lithographic copies made of a groat number of the plans ; and would suggest that one of each of these, with a printed copy of the Ngaitahu and Murihiku deeds of sale, and a list of the local awards of the Native Land Court, should be placed on record in the Begistrar of Deeds offices at Christchurch, Hokitika, and Dunedin, and copies given to the leading chiefs. I have, &c, Charles Heaphy, Commissioner Native Beserves. * Copies of plans, 18 ; tracings, 25 ; plans copied for Mr. Mackay, 6.

(A.) SCHEDULE of Native RESERVES in the PROVINCE of CANTERBURY. CLASS A-2. Trusts under provisions of Crown Grants or Legislative enactments.

District. Aeea. Remaeks. A. B. P. 2640 0 0 kaiapoi (Tuahiwi) (873) Reserved bv Mr. Mantell in 1848, in terms of Kemp's purchase of 1848. Note.—A large proportion of this Reserve was Bub-dvided by Mr. W. Buller, in 1862, in pursuance with instructions re2eived from the General Government, and individual Crown Grants restricting the alienability of the land (except by lease subject to the approval of the Governor, or a person duly appointed on that behalf) have been issued by the Crown to the Natives to whom the several parcels were allotted. Of the unallotted portion about 54 acres were subsequently granted between Matiatia Tiramorehu and Teoni Topi Patuki, and in 1868 a further appointment was made in favor of a few of the Natives named in Mr. Buller's report as being then unprovided for. The Native Lands Court in the same year adjudicated on the Moeraki claim, and land to the extent of 322 acres was granted in satisfaction of this claim ; this quantity, together with 178 acres previously allotted to Moeraki out of this estate, made up the 500 acres originally intended for them. The remainder of the estate, with the exception of a few acres along the North Road subject to the provisions of the Native Reserves Act, 1856 (vide N.Z. Gazette, No. 50, August 25th, 1868), is held under Native tenure, and consists chiefly of the portions known as the Bush Parcel. There is a reserve of five acres at the old Pa at Kaiapoi proper, not included in these Returns. The place in question is alluded to in Mr. Mantell's Report of 30th January, 1849, as follows: — " I further promised the Natives that the old Pa, Kaiapoi, should be reserved by the Government that neither Natives or Europeans might dwell there. It is about four acres in extent, and unsurveyed." Subsequent Returns give an area of five acres there. Sec. B. 1, No. 1. 2640 0 0