53

G.—s

On the 9th I returned from "Wellington. On Monday, the 10th, not finding the money remitted, 1 telegraphed to you. On the 12th, Mr. Campbell, R.M., unexpectedly arrived at Tolago from Waiapu. On the 13th Messrs. Read and Cooper's interpreters, Ferris and Skipworth, hastily prepared deeds, and the majority of the Natives signed conveyances to Cooper in the presence of the Resident Magistrate. I say the majority, because all the Natives were not present. H. Potae was absent at Wellington, and it may be others were absent. On the ]sth, Captain Porter returned from Tolago, where he had been acting, unknown to me, as District Officer. On the same day money was placed to my official account at the Bank of New Zealand, Gisborne, it having arrived after hours by telegram on the previous day. On Monday, the 17th, a message that had been delayed by the weather was received by Dr. Nesbitt, R.M., from Mr. Ferris, Cooper's interpreter, asking him to go to Tolago to attest signatures. As Tuesday was Court-day, the Doctor told me he should go on Wednesday. I asked him to wait until I could go with him. He declined, and started early on Wednesday morning; but turned back from Waitotora the following day, when he heard that Mr. Campbell, R.M., had witnessed the signatures for which he had been required. At the time the Doctor spoke to ine I was not able to go, because from the best information 1 could obtain —Captain Porter and Mr. Woon, the Clerk of the Court—l found that my surest way to obtain lists from the Court of the names of the Natives to whom awards had been made was to wait at Gisborne until the Court, which was daily expected, should arrive, as if I went by land I should miss the Court which was expected by sea; and even otherwise, Mr. Woon thought the papers would be packed up, and the clerks might not be there —for the Court was known to be closed. However, it reopened the morning it went on board the steamer at Tolago, the 20th, and took the action under the 59th, 60th, and 61st clauses complained of, and this after the Acting District Officer had come away and people had dispersed to their homes. 1 have little else to add, save that the duty and survey money have been paid by Cooper to the Native Land Court. The latter was tendered by the Clerk of the Court to the Deputy Inspector of Surveys. The latter officer referred to me, and I requested him not to accept the money. Mr. Woon has furnished me with the orders for memorial of ownership, as copied and enclosed. He tells me there are no written judgments; that his instructions were to indorse minutes on orders for memorial of ownership under clauses 59, 60, and 61 of the Act. I beg to refer to my telegram of the 24th ultimo relative to the refusal of Judge Rogan to permit a title to Government, under said clauses, in the case of Te Marunga, until after the period for appeal should expire. The moment I was in a position to go to Tolago to pay for the blocks under report, I asked the Resident Magistrate at Gisborne to accompany me to attest signatures ; he, however, declined. 1 then wrote to him, and he gave his reasons for not going in writing. (Vide correspondence attached to my letter No. 455. I have, &c, H. T. Clarke, Esq., J. A. Wilson, Under Secretary, Land Purchase Branch. Land Purchase Officer. Mb. Wilson, — On reference to the minute-book of the proceedings at the Uawa Court, held sth ultimo, I find there was no formal judgment given after hearing the evidence at the investigation of the claims to the blocks of land noted in the margin* —simply an order for memorial of ownership. 15th August, 1876. Edwin Woon. NATIVE LANDS ACTS, 1873-74. District of Hawke's Bay, 7 at t> -r, ■ e . ~ jM- Ngatawakawaka Block. Province ot Auckland. ) At a sitting of the Native Land Court of New Zealand, held at IJawa (Tolago Bay), in the said district, on the sth day of July, 1876, before J. Rogan, Esq., Judge, and Hone Peeti, Assessor. It was ordered that a memorial of the ownership of Arapeta Rangiuia, Hera Paki, Nopera Rangiuia (minor), Karaitiana Amaru, Mere Rangiuia (minor), Tame Pahura (minor), Hare Matenga (minor), Hatiwira Pahura (minor), Tepora Tuhaia (minor), Pateriki Pahura, and Hone Kewa, of a parcel of land at Uawa, in the district aforesaid, containing , and known by the name of Ngatawakawaka, be inscribed on a separate folium of the Court rolls. Witness the hand of J. Rogan, Esq., Judge, and the Seal of the Court, the 21st day of July, 1876. J. Rogan, Judge. Copt of Minute entered in Minute Book, Uawa, Vol. 11., folio 178. A deed of sale of a block of land situated in the District of Ilawke's Bay, called Ngatawakawaka, containing one thousand six hundred and fifty-seven (1,657) acres, has been produced before me, and the chief owners acknowledge the sale to Robert Cooper for the sum of one hundred and sixty-five pounds fourteen shillings (£165 14s.).—J. Rogan.—2oth July, 1876. NATIVE LANDS ACTS, 1873-74. District of Hawke's Bay, j PraEinmaAHUA Block. Province ot Auckland. J At a sitting of the Native Land Court of New Zealand, held at Uawa, Tolago Bay, in the said district, on the sth day of July, 1876, before J. Rogan, Esq., Judge, and Hone Peeti, Assessor. It was ordered that a memorial of the ownership of Rutene Kuhu Kuhu, Atareta Maitai, Pirika Kaara, Hepeta Maitai, Pipi Kuhu Kuhu, Hepata Maitai (minor), Hirini Maitai (minor), Harata Aratapu, * Ngatawakawaka, Puremungahua, Matatuotonga.