G.—9

6

8 acres for each female. Has land been set apart to satisfy these claims ? (I observe the action you have taken at Invercargill.) But you do not say what provinces are to be charged with the above obligations. Do not the promises extend to the Ngaitahu lands in the Province of Canterbury? Or do you propose to take all the land required in what was the Southland Province ? AVould you also suggest iv what manner the whole question can be definitely settled, in order that communication may be made to the Superintendents of the provinces affected by any proposed arrangement. H. T. Claeke.

No. 4. Me. A. Mackay, to the TTxdeb Secretaet, Native Office. Memo. — Mr. Clarke. 19th November, 1874. The papers (No. 77) alluded to in the Report of the Select Committee of the Legislative Council, in 1869, upon the Petition of Andrew Thompson, and referred to in my letter of the oth September last, will probably be found amongst the archives of the House of Representatives for 1863. The following additional information will throw further light on the question. I find, on reference to the Journals of the House of Representatives for that 3'ear, that on the Order Paper for November 20th, a notice of motion appears to this effect: —" 8. The Hon. Mr. Mantell to move for such information, documentary or otherwise, as the Government may be able to afford, as to the action taken on the recommendations made by the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Province of Otago, in favour of the wives and halfcaste families of Andrew Moore, Elisha Apes, J. Crocome, Newion, McCoy, Bates, Kelly, Printz, Leader, Antone, Leach, Paulin, Howell, Sizemore, Wixon, Smith, Low, Crane, Edwards, Gilroy, and Manuel, which recommendations, in accordance with the instructions of the Colonial Secretary dated 9th June, 1851 (No. 203), were referred to His Honor the Superintendent of Otago:" and that on the 30th November, the Hon. Mr. Gillies laid upon the table, by command of His Excellency, " Copies of such information, documentary or otherwise, as the Government is able to afford, as to the action taken, on the recommendations made by the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Province of Otago, in favour of the wives and half-caste families of certain settlers in the Province of Otago." A resolution of the House was also carried on the same date, on the motion of Mr. "Wayne, " That the good faith of the Crown having been pledged, in the acquisition of the territory of the Ngaitahu tribes by Mr. Commissioner Mantell, to the adoption of measures for the permanent benefit and civilization of the Natives, which pledge the Natives complain has not been redeemed, it is the opinion of this House that no time should be lost in ascertaining precisely the nature and extent of the engagements made by Commissioner Mantell, and in fulfilling the same in a just and liberal spirit." It is possible that the foregoing resolution more particularly applies to the promises of schools and hospitals; but Mr. Mantell was also instructed by the Colonial Secretary, at a later period, to make special provision for half-castes in the Southern Provinces. Of the persons enumerated in the notice of motion, some members of the Apes, Crocome, and Sizemore families have received land, I understand, in the neighbourhood of Waikouaiti, and arrangements have been made to provide the Leaders with Land near Riverton. (See Appendices to my Reports on the Aparima Reserve.) The names of Newton (Mrs. D. Pratt, late McCoy, is one of the family), Bates, Howell, "Wixon, Crane, Edwards, Gilroy, and Manuel (Emanuel Groombs' family), appear on the list of half-castes furnished with my letter of the sth September last, but there appears to be no trace of any persons of the name of Moore, Kelly, Antone, Paulin, Smith, or Low. Priiitz has a Native wife but no family. The best mode perhaps of ascertaining the names of the half-caste families who have been provided with land in Otago, would be to ask the Commissioner of Crown Lauds at Dunedin to furnish a return of all lands granted to persons of that race, or probably the information might be obtained more expediciously from the chief office at Wellington. The case of Andrew Thompson, referred to the Public Petitions Committee of the Legislative Council, in 1869, has received attention from the Provincial authorities. With regard to the mode of settling the question; as the promise to make provision for these people extends over the whole of the Southern Provinces, land should be appropriated to their use at or near the localities in which they reside or were born; and with this view I would beg to recommend that all the half-castes who were born or are now residing in the neighbourhood of Foveaux Strait should be allowed to select their land in Southland out of the blocks already applied for in that behalf, and that the claims of those living in the northern portion of Otago and in Canterbury should be dealt with in a similar manner, by which means each province would have to provide their proportionate share of the land required for the purpose, according to the number of persons who were either born or are now residing within their respective boundaries. The return marked A, accompanying my letter of sth September, indicates the position of the land that has been selected by a large number, and if copies of this, and one furnished later on in the month, were sent to Mr. "Watt and the Rev. Mr. Stack, with instructions to those gentlemen to call a meeting of the half-castes residing in their respective districts who have not yet selected, and give them their assistance to determine the localities where land can be obtained for the purpose, on definite information being obtained under that head the co-operation of the Superintendents could be requested. A return of the half-castes entitled to land under the provisions of " The Stewart Island Grants Act, 1873," has now been furnished to the Hon. Major Atkinson, by his request. I append a supplementary return of half-castes who have probably received land in the Province of Otago, in fulfilment of the intention, but the list must not be accepted as reliable without further inquiry, as it has been compiled on chance information. A. Mackat.