Page 27.

The Government have not only not recognised this claim at Taranaki, they have uniformly and steadily denied it; and every cession of territory from the Ngatiawa has been based, not on its recognition, but on its repudiation.

It is difficult to understand how Sir William Martin could advance such a statement in direct contradiction to all that was put forth by the Government, and particularly to the evidence of Chief Commissioner McLean at the bar of the House of Representative, under whose control all those purchases have been effected.