G.—2. (Appendix A.)

16

Then the frequent proposals made to them by Mr. Parris: his offer to make all between Inaha and Waingongoro a Native reserve; his promises that their kaingas and cultivations, sacred places, and fishing-places should be all protected; his frequent statements in reference to payment of takoha on the land. I attach a letter from Titokowaru to me, dated Ist October, 1873, and also a letter written by Wi Parata re confiscated lands, dated 12th September, 1872. I believe, too, that Wi Parata, on his visiting Omuturangi (February, 1873) with Wi Tako and others, told Ngatiruanui that the Government boundary was at Waingongoro. These, with other actions of his and others (Maori and European) will somewhat explain the persistency with which a great many of these Natives assert that the Government have no right north of Waingongoro. Mr. Parris and I negotiated the whole of the country through which the Mountain Eoad passes, and from the Waiongana to the Patea Eiver quickly fell into the hands of the Government, at about half-a-crown an acre. Erom Patea Eiver to Waingongoro was delayed through Mr. Parris's caution, who pleaded inexpediency, as too rapid progress might create alarm amongst Titokowaru's people. Within the confiscation boundaries we arranged for the yielding up by the Natives to the Government of 224,462 acres. Between April, 1873, and October, 1874, or, say, under two years, 170,000 acres were ceded to the Crown by proper deeds of conveyance, duly signed by ascertained original owners. No dispute is now raised over these lands, which are within the confiscation line; and the way in which possession was obtained there was referred to by Te Whiti, in his talk with James Mackay and me at Parihaka, as in contrast to the manner in which the Waimate Plains were dealt with by Government when the Natives took steps towards terminating the survey. In most of the blocks of land since acquired within the Patea District, the negotiations were first initiated by Mr. Parris and myself. The Mountain Eoad was commenced in March, 1873, and was opened through the bush in August, 1874. My services in carrying out this work and overcoming Native opposition thereto were fully recognized by tbe late Sir Donald McLean, in letters of thanks, and by paying me a bonus of £200 and extra pay of 14s. a clay. The Maoris of the Taranaki Provincial District are, and have been all through, fully acquainted with all the foregoing circumstances connected with dealings and offers made in respect to confiscated lands; and consequently always looked forward to the system that was initiated by Mr. Parris being applied as a solution of difficulties beyond the Waingongoro Eiver. Erom 1872 till now my endeavour has been to influence the Natives to fall in with the plan of settlement suggested by Sir D. McLean to me and others : that is, the giving up portions of the land to the Government, for which they would be paid a takoha, and retaining portions for themselves ; and up to the time of my leaving the Government service, a groat many had agreed to assist me in carrying out the ideas I explaiued in many and frequent talks with them. And lam positive that even now a very strong party could be formed, and readily, who would work actively and do their utmost towards bringing to an end what is, both for Natives and Europeans, tho present very unsatisfactory state of things. It was owiug to the influence of the men who are ready to form such a party, that the survey of the Plains was allowed to start and go on so long uninterruptedly. But the manner in which the survey was being carried on by the Government, aud much that was told them, convinced all the Natives that the Government meant to cut up the whole of the lands between Waingongoro and Stoney Eiver, without any regard to their wants and feelings ; and when the survey had proceeded sufficiently, in their minds, to prove clearly to them this view of the case, they, both Friendlies and others, took steps to have it stopped. When they invited argument on the question, they wero simply met with the reply that the Government insisted upon taking up the land by right of conquest, in spite of anything they might say; or, as Major Brown repeatedly told them, "Na le ringa kaha i tango, ma te ringa kaha e <pm>uru" (by the strong hand it was taken; the strong hand will keep it). There is very little skill or diplomacy in such a policy and such a motto as the above, which, if followed up in its entirety, means the settlement of the question by a military commander and a military force; which would be all very well, perhaps, if we wero in a position to rush recklessly into war, and compel the Maoris by force to surrender what we think is advantageous for our progress and settlement. There would be no further use for Commissioners or Native agents, then : all could be settled by military command. To my mind that plan is best which, having most humanity and fairness about it, at the same time is the one which will, at a groat deal less cost, attain the desired end. The mistake in this Waimate business has been that the arbitrary system was entered upon first, instead of adopting the conciliatory plan to commenco with. The Natives between Waingongoro and Urenui repeatedly affirmed to me their full belief that tho Government intended to cut up and take all the lands between Waingongoro and Stoney Eiver, as they had begun doing at Waimate. The survey of the Waimate Plains was carried on, the whole was being marked off in sections and lots, no reserves were pointed out, and the lithographed plans which came out for the sale showed no Native reserves. It was only when Major Brown heard that the survey was stopped that he hurried off to Wellington, and then began marking off sections on the plans as Native reserves. Had the mode of dealing introduced by Mr. Parris been kept up aud followed, tho matter of settling the Waimate Plains difficulty would now still be in progress, if not near completion. The way in which the survey was commenced admitted of no middle course being taken when it was stopped by the Natives. What should have been done was to have begun by making a Native block survey : that is, a purely Native survey of the block or blocks belonging to each hapu of the tribe, and, as each block was surveyed, to settle with the original owners as to locality and boundaries of the reserve or reserves in such block, and arrange tho amount of payment for the remaining portion or portions to be ceded right out to the Crown by proper conveyance. Had this system been started on, it could always have been resumed agaiu, or tried in another direction, if any interruption took place in its progress. The ploughing is a different matter to the removing of the surveyors off the Waimate Plains. The ploughing is a general protest by the Native people on the West Coast against the act of confiscation. Towards the north this course of action has been taken chiefly by Natives who never fought against the Government, but whose lands have been taken or confiscated. At Opunake action was