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No. 10.
Mr. Preece to the Chief
Commissioner.
Sir,—
| 1. |
Since my last communication I have made a deposit of One hundred and twenty-six pounds (£126) on the Waiau and Awa Kanae Block, which contains between two and three thousand (2,000 to 3,000) acres. I am now only waiting for an answer to my last letter and the arrival of Mr. Heaphy, when I shall complete the purchase. I wish Mr. Heaphy to survey a piece of land in front of the above block, so that it may have some sea-frontage, because, should the purchase he made without the frontage, there would be a difficulty to get access to the land; I have, therefore, delayed the purchase until the survey is completed. Coal exists on the above block, and is found in the whole of the ranges. |
| 2. | The Matakitaki Block, which runs from the boundary of my estate to the top of the highest range, is not finished surveying, but will be completed when Mr. Heaphy comes. I think that it will contain about 2,000 acres. I shall make the purchase as soon as I get the map. |
| 3. | For the Big Mercury Island I have given to Rawiri a deposit of Forty pounds (£40). I have not as yet received the map with the acreage of each party's claim; when I receive that I shall be prepared to complete the purchase of the whole island. |
| 4. | The Wainuiototo Block is at present in dispute, and therefore must be delayed until settled amongst the Natives, which I hope will soon be done, I shall then take the earliest opportunity of making the purchase. |
| 5. | I have not as yet received the map of the survey of the Kikowhakarere Block, therefore I am not able to take any step toward the purchase of that block. |
| 6. | I have great hope that I shall be able to purchase another block shortly; but, as much of the land is covered with kauri, the Natives can at present get more by selling the trees and retaining their land than they can by the sale thereof. They get from 10s. to £1 per tree. There are also many other things which make them put more value on their land than they otherwise would do. The exertions of Mr. C. Davis to prevent the Natives from parting with their land have hitherto operated against the purchase of land, also the contention amongst the Natives themselves about their respective claims has had the same effect; the price that has been proposed to be given for land has been considered by them as too little. |
| 7. |
I am of opinion that if the Government would but give a little advance in price there would soon be more land offered for sale. I know that the Natives as a body are convinced that the time is at hand when each individual Native will do as he pleases with his own land. The conduct of Maihi and Horopeta, in selling the Waiau Block in spite of all opposition, has operated well. Taniwha told me lately that he was convinced that the Government would soon make a purchase of all the spare land, for that he had found that he and the other chiefs could not prevent other Natives from parting with their own land. |
| 8. |
The difficulties with which I have hitherto had to contend were of no ordinary character. Had it not been for the influence that I had with the Natives, and the confidence that they place in me, nothing, I believe, would have induced them to have sold any land. I have used every means in my power to accomplish the object. The labour in conducting these negotiations has been more than it would have been in some districts where there was ten times the quantity of land purchased. I shall embrace every opportunity to extend the purchase when there is a chance of doing so, because I am convinced that before the mineral resources of this district can be developed, the Native title to the land must be extinct, or every effort to prove them will fail. The Natives have neither energy nor perseverence enough to procure minerals, and besides, if they possessed both, their avarice would prevent them from bringing the product into market except they could get a price far above what merchants could give. |
| 6. | And it would be equally injurious to Europeans to occupy unpurchased land, the endless evils that would take place would entirely defeat the object of developing the resources of the district, neither do I think that the Natives would allow it, even on a limited scale. |
| 10. | Coal has been found at intervals along the whole range, and will, I think, be found both in quality and quantity far beyond the general expectations. If so, it will be a very great acquisition to the province. |
I have, &c.,
James Preece.
The Chief Commissioner, Land Purchase Department.