C—No. 4.

26

SETTLEMENT OE

With the aid of Haata llio, the Native most interested therein, possessed of most influence with his co-grantees, and from circumstances hitherto most hostile to the Government, I have arranged to make freeholds of all the sections contained in the lease, so soon as that obstacle is removed. His Honor proposed to authorize me to negotiate with the holder of this lease with a view to its purchase ; nothing (beyond some unsatisfactory correspondence on the subject with the Government) has been done. I freed the Whenuakura Block at an early date from the obstructive Native claims, and placed 8,000 acres, or thereabouts, at the immediate disposal of the Government. I cannot lay too much stress upon the desirability of utilizing these two valuable blocks at once; they afford almost the only opportunity likely to offer for some time for the settlement of a considerable addition to the population in extremely desirable localities. By thus increasing the strength of the European settlers, the hostility (arising mainly from apprehensive weakness) evinced against the Natives by the majority of the present settlers will be diminished, and the repugnance expressed to the return of such .Natives as must return to the district will cease in proportion as their strength increases, and their confidence is thereby restored. North of Waingongoro I feel convinced that but little territory for Government purposes is likely to be acquired by ordinary means. The hapus owning land there, the majority of whose members have been in rebellion, are determined on a policy of passive resistance to progress until such time as the G-overnment shall withdraw the confiscation. Some advantage might be gained in the way of compromise, if the subject were promptly and skilfully dealt with ; the late Parihaka meeting to my mind shadowed forth very plainly the tendency of Native feeling on these topics. Ido not speak of the utterances of the leaders, but of the under-current of a common idea pervading all who attended it. Wi Parata has written letters setting forth the promised return of unoccupied lands, and vaguely hinting at a possible return or payment for even those lands that have been occupied. One of these letters to Whanganui Natives has been instrumental in giving strength to the hope long felt that the lands between Waingongoro and Waitotara will be returned to them. Major Kemp has drawn a petition asking as much of the House, which is extensively signed by Ngarauru and Whanganui Natives. As this matter specially affects my district, I venture to say that Major Kemp is in no way entitled to make this demand, and that although the Natives (some of them) may justly complain of the condition of their reserves, and the delays that have occurred in carrying out the promises made them by the Grovernment, that Major Kemp is not to be included in the list of those who have a just grievance. In this petition it is advanced that injustice would be done by returning all lands north of Waingongoro to rebel Natives when so much land belonging to loyal Natives has been taken to the south of that stream ; that the punishment for rebellion, so far as confiscation of land goes, thus would really fall alone upon the heads of Ngarauru and Whanganui Natives. Tauroa, it is not improbable, may refuse to exchange the reserve originally intended for him for land elsewhere; Native sentiment on land matters has always strong local application. I have glanced at these subjects as amongst those which appear to me to be at the root of present difficulties, and because delaying their consideration can be productive of nothing but evil. Reverting to the original topic of Native reserves, &c, I beg to suggest that instructions should be given me as to the course to pursue to determine title, and some power conferred to deal with these matters. In re compensation awards, title is still a difficulty, and either the machinery of the Native Lands Court must be used to determine succession, or special powers must be given for the purpose. I would point out, also, that from the 2nd of April last past, the Provincial Grovernment have been paying rent at the rate of Is. an acre for 1,600 acres of land leased by them from the Natives; also, that the break-down in any detail of the general plan upon which these lands have been dealt with is an injury to the whole —so much so, that I beg to receive adequate instructions for my guidance, or sufficient authority to carry out the plans as originally conceived, and which I have pushed so far towards completion that I should deeply regret any interruption calculated to impair their fruition. I have, &c, G-EOEGB B. WOEGAN.

No. 16. The Hon. D. McLean to the Civil Commissioned, New Plymouth. The settlement of the confiscated lands on the West Coast, between Waitotara and Taranalri, requires the earliest possible attention, as upon the settlement of this question the peace and prosperity of the "West Coast mainly depends. The confiscated lands on the West Coast may be divided into two classes, viz., those north and south of the Waingongoro River. The lands south of the Waingongoro comprise 34,897 acres 2 roods 9 perches allotted to military settlers ; lands disposed of by auction, 2,984 acres 1 rood 3 perches ; awards to Natives by the Compensation Court, 17,264 acres ; special reserves made to different tribes, 21,361 acres 2 roods 31 perches ; and lands allotted to Natives for services during the rebellion, 6,980 acres. This latter class have been allotted chiefly to Whanganui Natives, who do not require the land for their own use, and it should be purchased from them at a fair price, say £1 per acre. To satisfy outstanding claims of military settlers and others, about 5,000 acres is still required, leaving land available for subdivision and sale, 39,499 acres. The awards of the Compensation Court to the Natives have not yet been defined, and it is important that this should be done ; and the claims of those who are willing to sell should be bought out at a price not exceeding £1 per acre. Claims have been advanced by Whanganui and other Natives to large portions of this block, but the grounds on which they make them are not definite. It seems, however, that the Whanganui Natives consider themselves entitled to make a claim in consideration of their past military services, and from a desire to be in a position to restore a portion of the land to the original Ngarauru owners whom they helped to conquer, and with whom it appears they had some compact on the subject.