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

No. 13. — T. Heale, Esq., Government Surveyor, to the Chief Commissioner

No. 13.
T. Heale, Esq., Government Surveyor, to the Chief Commissioner.

Piako.—Survey of Hangawera Block. Auckland, August 13th, 1855.

Sir,—

I have the honor to inform you that, in obedience to your instructions, dated Waipa, July 9th, I proceeded from thence to Kitikitiro, to obtain a party of the Ngatihaua Natives, and point out and mark the boundaries of the land I was directed to survey at Piako.

The unreasonable demands of the Natives delayed me there several days, but on Monday, the 16th, I was enabled to start with five men, to whom I agreed to pay five shillings per day each; a sixth subsequently added himself to the party.

On Thursday we arrived at Hangawera, and proceeded immediately to perambulate the land. For the purpose of survey I considered it sufficient to chain the front or east boundary, it being in the plain, and the principal point in the back boundary on the mountain being satisfactorily fixed by bearings.

The block contains about 4,000 acres, and is situated on the eastern slope of the Hangawera Mountain. It is bounded at the back or west by straight lines from points on the spur of the mountain, all which have been carefully marked and correctly fixed on the plan. These lines cross several steep gullies, which are thickly wooded higher up.

The southern boundary is the Stream Mangahaumia; the west boundary meeting the river immediately above a rauwiri, or eel-weir; the east boundary runs in a crooked line along the undulating land, about l½ mile from the River Piako, across several deep swamps and streams, to a ridge 730 links to the north-west of the River Huruhuru; and the northern boundary is a straight line from thence to the northern extremity of the west boundary, on a lofty hill on the north side of the gully of the Huruhuru.

The quality of the land is, on the whole, pretty good, the loam part being level, with a good though light soil, covered with fern and small manuka, which has been everywhere burnt; nearer the hill it is sandy and poor. But the greatest defect is the want of wood, of which there is absolutely none; and without the land between it and the River Piako, the block is, of course, unacceptable and worthless.

The latter block, however, is that which Pita has, in the letter I conveyed to you, offered to sell to the Government, and accordingly I have roughly ascertained its dimensions, and delineated it on the plan. It abuts on the Ruihauriki, which the Natives assert to be Webster's southern boundary, and up to which the land has been surveyed. It contains a small portion of forest (a few acres in a gully at its western extremity), and is of very good quality.

I have, &c.,

Theophilus Heale.

Donald McLean, Esq.,
Chief Commissioner.