A compendium of official documents relative to native affairs in the South Island, Volume One.

Mr. Mantell to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary

Mr. Mantell to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary.

Crown Lands Office, 19th March, 1853.

Sir,—

I do myself the honor of transmitting a letter written by Rawiri Te Mamaru, in his own name and those of the other Natives in whose behalf the now abandoned Reserve No. —at Kakaunui was made, begging me to convey to the Governor-in-Chief their request to be allowed to exchange that reserve for an extension of the Moeraki Reserve in a southerly direction to Okahau Point; or, should that proposal not meet His Excellency's approbation, to an extent equal to that (75 acres) which they wish to give up.

The enclosed tracing shows approximately the land wished by them.

The Kakaunui Reserve has no wood, but, including a boat landing-place, its surrender would place in the hands of Government a useful village site.

The land desired in exchange has a little wood in a deep gully at the north-east angle; the rest is open, undulating land, more or less steep, with excellent soil, but a southern aspect.

Although the surplus (27 acres) which would be included by the line to Okahau Point are of little value save to the occupants of the adjoining land, I consider that it would be more advisable that this exchange, if sanctioned by His Excellency, should be one of strictly equal quantities. It is probable that eventually the land between the reserve and Waimataitai will become the property of the Natives; but this is unnecessary at present; and the acquisition of it by individual Natives by purchase, at a reasonable rate, would be more beneficial to them than a free grant. It is not included in any run, and they have verbal permission from me to allow their cattle to graze there; which permission I would gladly see exchanged for a license at a rent proportioned to the small extent of the land, should His Excellency the Governor concur in the propriety of thus gradually initiating them into the practice of renting land for stock, and sanction the issue of such special license as the case would require.

I have &c.,

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary.

Walter Mantell.