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

No. 26. — Mr. Preece to the Chief Commissioner

No. 26.
Mr. Preece to the Chief Commissioner.

General.—Reporting as to the State of Land Purchasing Operations in his District.

A Report of the state of the Land Purchase Department in the District of Coromandel, 16 July, 1861.

The undermentioned blocks have been surveyed, and can be purchased when the money which has been granted for that purpose is forwarded:—

1.Matarangi Block.—Eruera's.
2.Ahuahu Block.—Matenga's.
3.Te Pungapunga Block.—Karaitiana and Riria's.
4.Kaituna Block.—Wiremu Hopihana's.
5.Waikiekie Block.—Hira Te Pure's.
6.Kikowhakarere Block.—Paora and Karaitiana's.
7.Te Hoho Block cannot be purchased until the Mahakirau Block is purchased, as the deposit given on it is in excess of the value and is to be deducted from Mahakirau.
8.Maumaupaki Block joins that of the Awakanae already purchased on the one side, and Mahakirau on the other, and contains by estimation about 4000 acres, and runs from the surveyed line of the Awakanae to the foot of Castle Rock. This is part of the district mentioned by Dr. Hochstetter as an available and payable Gold-field. About a fortnight since a nugget was found in a creek near this land which contains about two ounces of pure gold, which had been broken off from a solid rock by some kauri logs brought down the creek; it was carried down the creek by the flood, and found after the water had subsided. No search has as yet been made for the ground deposit, as the white men do not wish to excite the Natives; they had rather see the land quietly purchased by the Government first.
9.Mahakirau Block commences where the Maumaupaki Block ends, and continues to Mercury Bay. A creek that runs through this block runs into Mercury River. It contains, by estimation, about 30,000 acres. A large portion of this block is excellent land: part of it contains a very good Kauri forest, other portions of it are, like the last block, gold deposits. I beg strongly to recommend the immediate purchase of both these blocks; there is no difficulty in doing so as there is not any dispute about them, the purchase can be made as soon as the survey is completed, as the Natives are very desirous of selling; but should gold be found in large quantities before that is done, there would be a great difficulty in making the purchase at all, as then, I believe, that no sum would induce them to part with it, whereas if we purchase now, we shall have in one block, from Coromandel to Mercury Bay, about 40,000 acres, on which prospecting operations would be going on, and on the other side of Mercury Bay the Government have a block already purchased of about 13,000 acres which is covered with quartz and iron stone, which always indicate a gold deposit; in fact gold has been found on this land; I saw a small but beautiful nugget of gold found there. I consider that the purchase of these blocks may, in future, prevent great disturbances.
10.Opitonui Block joins the two last at Castle Rock and leads out to Whangapoua. It contains by estimation from 2,000 to 4,000 acres, a good part of it is very good land and contains a fine kauri forest; a large creek runs through the centre of it. Gold is supposed to exist on this as well as on the two last blocks, some very fine samples were got here about four years ago. There is a little dispute about the ownership of this block; a woman of Whangapoua of the name of Riri Porou claims part of it. I have thoroughly investigated this claim, and from the evidence given by all parties I am page 311convinced that she has no selling claim nor right to interfere; she ought to receive something when the payment is made, which could he reserved for her, or her claim could be referred to some Court which had authority to adjust claims of that kind.
11.The Opotoro Block joins the Opito Block which has been already purchased. When this is purchased, the Opito Block could be thrown open for selection; the piece to be purchased may contain from 6 to 8,000 acres; the whole when open, will be about 3,000 acres; it is undisputed, and the purchase has been promised; I therefore beg leave to recommend the completion of this purchase.
12.Waimoka Block is situated near the Opito Block, and joins the Matarangi Block. A deposit of £10 has been given on this; if the boundaries, as stated, should prove to be correct when surveyed, I should think that it would prove to be about 4, or 6,000 acres. The survey of all the above blocks could be made at the same time, as they are all close together.
13.The Hahei Block is situated on the South side of Mercury Bay, and joins land already purchased to the extent of 1,300 acres. I have not as yet been able to complete the negotiations for this block. Each of the parties who contend for this land lay claim to the whole, but from all that I have been able to collect on the subject, I firmly believe that their claims are about equal. The one party have agreed to allow the money to be divided, and as the principal person of the other party who contended for the whole is dead, I think that I shall, in the end, be able to get them to allow me to divide the sum equally amongst them, and thus prevent serious disturbance amongst themselves, as neither will ever allow the other to possess it.
14.The Whangamata Block, which has been offered by Rawiri, is, I fear, too much disputed to allow of any further steps being taken about it until the contending parties can make some mutual arrangement amongst themselves on that claim.
15.Honoroa Block is situated in this Harbour, and contains about 150 acres of very good land; this is only waiting to be surveyed, and could then be purchased at once.

The above is the true state of the Land Question in this district at the present time, and although there has not been much land offered for sale of late, it has not been from any feeling adverse to the sale of land that has prevented the Natives from offering larger blocks, but from an idea that the prices given were not equivalent to the value of the land, which they consider will soon be worth a large sum when its mineral wealth is developed. I am of opinion that if a more liberal scale was adopted, it would have a good effect on the minds of the Natives, and at the same time restore their confidence in the Government.

James Preece.