An Epitome of Official Documents Relative to Native Affairs and Land Purchases in the North Island of New Zealand
[Donald McLean's reply]
This land being nominally in the hands of the General Government, at least being entirely at the disposal of the General Government, except that the Native title has not been quite extinguished, I submit that it should be reserved for the tribe who have still a part claim to it, and that a map of it should be prepared, and handed to the Native Chief Pita Taukaka, as trustee for the Patukirikiri tribe. The reasons assigned for reserving this island are so forcibly expressed by Mr. Preece that it appears unnecessary to advance further arguments in support of it.
Donald McLean.
14th October 1857.