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An Epitome of Official Documents Relative to Native Affairs and Land Purchases in the North Island of New Zealand

Nelson

Nelson.

In reference to the objection raised by the New Zealand Company to the grant of land which has been offered to them for the Nelson district, namely, that it excepts any portions of land within any of the lands described in the grant to which private claimants or any private claimant may have already proved, or may hereafter prove, that they or any of them had a valid claim prior to the purchase of the New Zealand Company, I think that Colonel McCleverty should ascertain what claims have already been preferred to such portions of these lands: these claims should be allowed or disallowed, and the exceptions complained of should then be limited to such claims as may upon inquiry be found to be valid and just;—that the inquiry should strictly be confined to such claims as have already been preferred. I do not think that claims which might now be made, after a large body of European settlers have been for so many years in possession of the land, should be allowed to operate for their detriment. If such claimants should show that they are entitled to the consideration of the Government, I think that compensation should be given to them in the form of grants to land in other localities, or in such other form as might be found most convenient.

Another general observation which I would make is that, in all instances where it is arranged that certain portions of land are to be assigned to particular bodies of Natives, Colonel McCleverty should see that they are furnished with accurate plans and descriptions of the boundaries of these tracts of land, and that when these are handed over to them they should sign a receipt stating that their claims to land have all been satisfied. Even in cases of disputed boundaries between different tribes of Natives, it would be a wise measure of precaution to recommend the Natives to allow the Government to settle disputed boundaries, and to issue to the claimants confirmatory grants to their lands, so that no dispute regarding their title might ever hereafter arise. I have found the Natives generally desirous of receiving such descriptive grants from the Government; and, as all these grants could be registered in the Survey Office, the Native population might thus gradually be brought in a great measure to register their claims to land, and feel that the holding a positive grant from the Crown was the best guarantee and title which they could obtain. The Government would be enabled to ascertain the portions of country to which the Natives had valid claims, and those portions which might be regarded as waste lands belonging to the Crown.

I have only further to add that Colonel McCleverty will find that about seventy claims to land in the Middle Island have been made and gazetted, but have never yet been investigated. It is a matter of great importance that these claims should be heard and reported on with as little delay as possible; and, if no objection should exist to Colonel McCleverty hearing and reporting on all of these claims, he will render a great service to the Government in so doing. If, however, he should see any objection to his adopting this course, and will report the same to me, I will lose no time in despatching the Surveyor-General to the South, for the purpose of hearing such claims as Colonel McCleverty may not think proper to dispose of.

G. Grey.