27

G.—l.

gated by the Land Court; for you have given us a law to go by, which is, that land should be surveyed, taken into the Land Court, and after the Land Court has investigated it, we then get the title. I am the owner of land, and there are others also who very likely will say they are the owners o£ the land; and we, who consider ourselves the owners of those lands, have made requests to you, and have also addressed you in writing. And for these reasons we have come here to ask you to be kind enough to withdraw any restrictions you may have placed on the laud. I dare say you are aware that a Gazette has been issued, saying the Land Court will sit on the 10th of May to investigate those Patetere lands. That is all I have got to say, Mr. Bryce. Hon. Native Minister: lam much obliged to Paora Karetai for his greeting, and I will always endeavour to perform my duties as Native Minister, not only to the advantage of one race only, but to the advantage of both races. I fully concur-with what you have said as to the desirability of the title being ascertained in accordance with the law. Any restrictions which have been imposed by me on the survey of land were because a larger question —that of the peace of the country—might become involved if the surveys were allowed to proceed. At present lam led to believe that such apprehensions need not be entertained, and, unless between now and Monday afternoon I hear things to convince me that those apprehensions are still to be feared, I will remove the restrictions, and allow the survey to go on, and the land to go through the Court. I hope the land may go through the Court, and the title be ascertained without undue difficulty. Kakawaero : Salutations to you, Minister for Native Affairs. lamaTupati: I am a Rotorua Native, and lam also a Patetere Native. We, the chiefs of Rotorua, have agreed to this survey, and wish these subdividing lines to be made between us, so as to divide the Rotorua from the Patetere land. The line that has been made is perfectly correct, according to their boundaries, and I pray you to sanction this survey. I have nothing more to say ; for Karetai has pretty well expressed our opinions, and what he has said may be said to be the expression of us all. Hon. Native Minister: lam obliged to you for your greeting, and hope this matter will turn out as pleasantly as you say it will. The deputation then withdrew. No. 140. Native Office, Auckland, 27th April, 1880. Twelve Maoris, members of the Ngatiraukawa Tribe, waited upon the Hon. Native Minister to-day with reference to the Patetere Block. Harrg Simmonds (Hare Heimana, half-caste) : I went to see you in Wellington in consequence of the troubles of Ngatiraukawa. I told you this trouble commenced in the days of SirD. McLean, down to the days of Dr. Pollen, and to the time when Mr. Sheehan was Native Minister. Now that you, Mr. Bryce, are Native Minister, I wish this trouble to be brought to an end. I came with these people present, who are delegates of the tribes, to invite you to the Waotu, where the Ngatiraukawa are assembled to meet you. They are there, waiting to see you, to speak to you about these troubles. The chiefs of the tribe have sent this letter by us to you, that you may stand in the centre of your people Ngatiraukawa and inquire into all these troubles. I would like you to reply to what I have said, and also to reply to the other. [Major Mair read the letter, in which the Native chiefs invited the Hon. Native Minister to visit Waikato.] Hon. Native Minister: lam very glad to see you here, and on the business on which you appear. If this trouble'has existed, as Harry Simmonds says, from the time of Sir D. McLean till now, I think it is time it should be settled shortly. I understand that it is the wish of the present deputation that the matter should be settled, and be settled by the course of the law, which is very laudable. With respect to the invitation which the tribe has been so good as to send to me, it is a matter of great regret to me that lam not able to accept it. When I came to Auckland a few days ago, I did think it likely we should be able to visit the Waikato; but I found engagements here and in other places pressing so heavily upon me that I find it quite impossible. Still, it seems to me that my business will not prevent the settlement of the trouble which has existed so long: in fact, the settlement may proceed just as well without me as with me. Therefore, while I say lam obliged to the tribe for their invitation to mo, still I have to say that I cannot, under the circumstances, go up there at present. Perhaps now Harry Simmonds would be good enough to go on with the other portions of the business on which the deputation has called. Harry Simmonds: The first matter was the point of accepting the invitation of the tribe to go and see them. It is the particular desire of the people that you should go amongst them, and that all these matters should be laid before you there, on the spot. The reason why the people wished you to be present among them is that they may all have an opportunity of asking you questions, and accordingly be able to hear what you had to say about the action of the Government in retaining a hold upon the lands of Ngatiraukawa. I hope you may reconsider what you have said, and will find time to accept the invitation, and go up and see those who have invited you. Hon. Native Minister: I feel that you do wish to persuade me to go up there, and I appreciate your effort and that of the tribe ; but the truth is, I am not my own master in many respects, and I find myself at the present moment dragged away. Harry Simmonds : The second point is the desire of the people that you should send all the papers, bills, accounts, and agreements connected with their land to them, so that the people might see and examine them. Hon. Native Minister said he would not do so. Harry Simmonds : I hope you will consider your decision in respect of these accounts. That was the principal matter the people wished you to go to Waotu about. Hon. Native Minister : I shall be quite prepared to answer anything ; and proceed as slowly or as fast as you like. I will answer that. He has alluded to two points. With reference to the first point. After reiterating the wish that I should go up to meet them, he (Mr. Simmonds) then stated that it was their wish to know why I retained a hold on the land, and then they wished to examine