G.—7

274

[Translation.] To Mr. Fenton,— To Wairoa, 12th October, 1870. Friend, salutations to you. This is my word, that you may know. It is right that Huramua No. 1 should go for the debt to Joe Carroll (Okara) ; it is not right that Huramua Nos. 2 and 3 should go for debt, because lam not iv debt to Mr. Carroll (Okara). But my hand has not touched a pen. Finished. Friend, do not give the Crown grants, but keep them. Finished. Friend, point out to me the portion of the persons who are registered as owners of the land, because only those who are in the Crown grant (certificate ?) receive the money ; those who are registered receive none. Finished. From Te Rtjpapera, To Wairoa. Friend, answer my words, that I may be informed.

ISTo. 4. Sic, — Native Land Court Office, Auckland, 24th March, 1871. In the matter of the application of Tiopira Tapahi and others (N.L. 70,605, herewith enclosed) to haxe the title to the blocks of land named in the margin investigated, I beg to state that at a sitting of the Court, held at the Wairoa on the 22nd day of September, 1868, certificates of title were ordered for these blocks; and although the presiding Judge, in consequence of the statement of the applicants that they all had land elsewhere for occupation and cultivation, recommended that no restrictions should be placed on the alienability of these lands, I have now the honor to recommend that the Governor be advised to comply with the petition of the certified owners, and to direct that restrictions be placed on the alienability of the said blocks of land. I have, &c, F. D. Fenton, The Hon. the Native Minister, Auckland. Chief Judge.

Hurauiua No. 2 Huramua No. 3

No. 5. Sir,— Native Land Court Office, Auckland, 9th May, 1871. I have the honor to forward herewith for the Governor, certificates of title for the blocks of land named in the accompanying schedule, and to enclose you copy of a letter addressed by me to you on the subject thereof, containing a recommendation which you approved. The grants will be prepared in accordance therewith. I have, &c, F. D. Fenton. The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Chief Judge.

APPENDIX No. 10. Case No. XXV. (TamaM.) Memorandum for Commissioners. lie TamaM. The Tamaki or Seventy-Mile Bush Block, lately purchased by the Government for purposes of settlement, passed the Native Land Court at Waipawa, in September, 1870. (See Papers relating to the Purchase of the Seventy-Mile Bush Block, D. No. VII.) Judge E-ogan acting as Judge. Negotiations having been going on for purchase of this land for some five years or more previous to sitting of Court, the matter had been well ventilated, and Natives from the West Coast, Wairarapa, and other districts were present, including those whose names arc attached to the petition. To the best of my recollection the investigation before the Court lasted over ten days, and the claims of the present petitioners were fully inquired into by the Court. The whole block which passed the Court was estimated to contain 804,800 acres, and this was subdivided into seventeen blocks, so as to enable all sections of the claimants to be fairly represented in the grants. Two blocks, amounting in the aggregate to 41,000 acres, chosen by the Natives, were made inalienable by the Court; 19,870 acres more were set apart out of the purchased blocks as reserves for the Natives, making a total of 60,870 acres. Besides this, there were three blocks containing 14,000 acres, which were not included in the sale, as the majority of the grantees in those blocks objected to sell. (There are also in the Tamaki Block, belonging to the owners of the land referred to in this statement, about 72,000 acres, which the Natives have reserved, and which are now leased to Europeans for a rental of £680 a year). This leaves 250,000 acres (less the 19,870 acres reserved) as the area purchased by the Government, the nominal price for which was £16,000, £12,000 of which has been paid, and the other £4,000 is to be paid when the claims of all the grantees have been met. The £12,000 was divided amongst the sellers by three arbitrators chosen by the Natives themselves —viz., Messrs. Purvis Eussell, A. Grant, and G. Hamilton. The plan produced before the Court was partly compiled from surveys that had previously been made of lands that had passed the Court, or land that had formerly been purchased by Government, the boundaries of which had been marked on the ground, and partly from the traverse of Manawatu Rivers, and from actual surveys made on purpose to show the natural features of the country. A more detailed survey would have been, in a forest country, very expensive, and, as it subsequently turned out, quite useless, the Natives themselves not being certain of their smaller subdivisions. Mr. Heale, the Inspector of Surveys to Native Land Court, was present at the sitting at Waipawa, and signed his name to the plan, being perfectly satisfied with its correctness.