8

C—4.

9. Te Whiti and others urge the long time they have been permitted to occupy the lands since confiscation without any objection being made on the part of the Government; also that they were promised that they would not be interfered with in the matter of any lands which they enclosed and occupied; in consequence of which promise they did fence in considerable areas, portions of which are included in the survey of the Waimate Plains. I have given the above as being the principal reasons for the present attitude of the Natives in this provincial district. In doing so, I wish it to be understood that these are principally deduced from their own statements; and that those who have had more intimate official acquaintance and dealing with the question may be able to furnish further and more accurate information than can possibly be given by one who has only had a limited opportunity of investigating the matter. I would recommend the following as a solution of the difficulty, viz.:— 1. That a Commission should be at once appointed to inquire into the nature and present position of the awards of the Compensation Court, in cases where the awards have been satisfied by the allocation of the claimants on specific pieces of land. Such Commission should have the power to direct the issue of Crown grants to the persons interested. When certificates or scrip entitling a Native to select land have been issued but not exercised, then such Commission should at once arrange for the selection of the area to which the holder is entitled, and proceed to issue title as above. 2. That in the case of lands surrendered or abandoned by the Crown such Commission should have power to ascertain who were the original owners of such lands (which by law revert to their original status as Native lands), and, after conducting proceedings in the same manner as the Native Lands Court, should determine the persons entitled to the same ; and Crown grants should issue in the usual form. 3. That Te Whiti, Titokowaru, and others who are interested in the Waimate Plains, Parihaka, &c., should be distinctly informed that certain portions of those blocks will at once be set apart for them and granted to the proper owners. As regards the portions retained and required by the Government, there appears to be no alternative but to adopt the bonus or gratuity system (takoha) set forth in the instructions to Mr. Parris and Major Brown. 4. That in case of reserves now occupied by ex-rebels, the Commission should have power to ascertain the persons entitled to the same, and order Crown grants to issue. Such grants to contain a restriction against sale or mortgage, or a lease exceeding twenty-one years. I may here mention that there are reserves of the same nature at Pakaraka ami Nukumaru,* which require similar treatment, aud might be placed under the same Commission. Considering the large number of Natives in this district, and their possessing no lands elsewhere in the colony, it might be desirable to place a restriction in all Crown grants on the alienability of the lands, by sale, mortgage, or lease exceeding twenty-one years, without the consent of the Governor in Council being first obtained thereto. My telegram of the 4th instant gives the particulars of my interview with Te Whiti, which will sufficiently show the Native feeling on the subject. The recommendations now made are very similar to those contained in my telegram of that date. I enclose a map illustrating the divisions ofthe provincial district as set forth in this memorandum. James Mackay.

No. 4. Memorandum by Mr. Lewis, Under Secretary, Native Department, to Mr. Parris. New Plymouth, 15th April, 1879. Referring to the interview of yesterday, re the confiscated lands on the West Coast, the Hon. the Native Minister requests that you will be good enough to supply him with information on the following points : — 1. Whether or not the sale to the Government ofthe Urenui Block comprised the whole of the land in which the awards referred to by you were exercisable ? 2. Whether or not the Maoris understood that their awards merged in the sale to the Crown. 3. Whether they had any idea that, notwithstanding the sale, provision would be made for their awards in the shape of reserves in the lands sold, or in other lands in the district, and whether any reference was made to this question in the deed of cession. 4. Whether they were asked to surrender the scrip exercisable over the lands comprised in the deed of sale. T. W. Lewis, Under Secretary.

No. 5. Memorandum for the Hon. the Native Minister. New Plymouth, 15th April, 1879. The land from Pukearuhe to Te Rau-o-te-huia was divided by the Compensation Court into three blocks—viz., Waipingau toTitoki, Titoki to Urenui, and Urenui to Te Rau-o-te-huia. The

* South of the Waitotara.