65

G.-5

No. 61. Mr. A. J. Dickey to Judge Eogan. Auckland, 12th July, 1875. Cases named in your telegram will be gazetted for hearing 29th instant; very little time for distribution of notices. A. J. Dickey, Chief Clerk, Native Land Court.

No. 52. Mr. A. J. Dickey to Messrs. Beown and Dr. Giles. (Telegram.) Auckland, 2nd October, 1876. Me. Wilson has telegraphed asking whether the notice issued here on 12th July, 1875, for a sitting of the Court at Turanga, on 29th of same month, was for a separate and distinct session. I beg to state that the four claims comprising this notice were in the first instance sent to this office by Judge Rogan in a telegram. In this telegram he stated that it was very important that they should be heard during the sitting then in session—namely, that mentioned to be held at Turanga on the 18th June, 1875, the notices for which were issued on the 14th of May, 1875. I have, Ac, A. J. Dickey, Chief Clerk, Native Land Court, (in the absence of the Chief Judge). Major Brown and It. Giles, Commissioners, Gisborne.

No. 53. Waingabohia No. 3. —Judgment. The survey of this land was made by direction of the principal claimant, Pita te Huhu, who stated his claim simply and distinctly— Damely, that the land was given to him by the chief proprietor, a chief of the ha-pu or sub-tribe of Ngapuhi, for aiding in the wars which were carried on between the Maoris occupying the country inland of Poverty Bay and the Natives of Tolago Bay District (Aetangahauiti). It appears that on the return of the war expedition from Gable End Foreland, when a victory was gained by the assistance afforded by Pita te Huhu, Mehameha ceded the land from Puwharariki to Kanakanaia in the usual Maori form—" I have nothing else to give you but the land ;it is yours." Pita te Huhu also claims a small portion of this land through heritage. The counter-claimant, Paora Parau and his priends caused a survey to be made of a block of land to be called Waihora, containing about 20,000 acres, which overlaps Waingaromia No. 3. Paora contented himself by giving the names of several persons as witnesses in support of his claim in opposition to Pita te_Huhu. Nepia Tokitahi's evidence showed that a cession had. been made of the land to Pjta te Huhu, but limited the gift to a corner of the block, bounded by a stream called Kanakanaia, containing a few hundred acres. Nepia also stated that he cultivated on this land at a place called Umutaoroa, which place was afterwards shown by other witnesses to be outside of this block. Hakopa, one of Pita's witnesses, who was born on the land, and nephew of the chief Mehameha, substantiated the cession of the land to Pita, and it appears conclusive that according to Native custom he (Pita) is entitled, excepting to those portions subsequently given back by him to the original owners; and it only remains for the Court to say, in the language of Mehameha, " Pita, the land is yours."

No. 54 Mr. Bakee to Mr. Heale. Sie, — Gisborne, 9th April, 1875. In referrence to the complaint laid against me by Mr. Wilson, the Land Purchase Commissioner, I have up to the present date authorized the survey of two blocks —namely, Wharehapua and Tawhiti, for both of which I hold applications for survey from the claimants, certified to by the District Officer, Mr. Locke, that he knows of no cause why the survey should not be gone on with at once. On receipt of your telegram, I called on Mr. Wilson for the purpose of stating to him what action I had taken in the matter of surveys. I have since shown him all the applications for survey that have been lodged with me. From my conversation with Mr. Wilson, it appears that Mr. Wilson objects mainly to the survey of two blocks, called Tuakau and Waingaromia. On Tuakau he has advanced public money. The survey of Tuakau and the oil spring blocks was ordered either by Mr. Locke, or Captain Porter, before my appointment to the Poverty Bay District, I believe with a view to purchasing for the Government. I have taken no action whatever in the matter, and consider as Mr. Locke had authorized the survey, and had instructed Mr. Skeet to make the survey, I was freed from all responsibility. Waingaromia: The survey of this block was also authorized by Mr. Locke, before my appointment: This survey is being made by Mr. Eaffie for a Mr. Cooper. The Purchase Commissioner is afraid that the survey will overlap another block for which he is in treaty, at the same time admitting he has no claim on part of the Waingaromia frontage. I may state that application for the survey of land claims are not entered in our register until the District Officer has certified to them. In future, the Purchase Commissioner is to see all applications before a survey is authorized. I have, &c, Theophilus Heale, Esq., Inspector of Surveys, Auckland. Hobace Bases.