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

Enclosure

Enclosure.

George Sisson Cooper, Esq., to the Civil Secretary, Wellington.

Mokau.—Reporting his Visit to that District. Taranaki, October 24, 1852.

Sir,—

In reference to your letter of the 23rd August, addressed to Mr. McLean, directing him to examine and report upon the land offered to Government by the chiefs of the Mokau District, I have the honor to state that, in the absence of that officer, I felt it to be my duty to furnish the report required by His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, and I accordingly left this settlement upon the 1st instant in company with the Commissioner of Crown Lands, of whose advice and assistance I deemed it proper to avail myself.

Two Blocks Offered.

2. Upon arriving at Mokau and conferring with the Natives there, I found that the land offered in that direction consisted of two different blocks, the one on the north bank of the Mokau River, the principal chiefs by whom the offer was made being Te Watihi (Peketahi) and his brother Te Weitini; the second block, lying to the north of the above, with the river Awakino running through it. This block is offered by Takerei alone, to whom the conduct of the negotiation has been entirely given up. The enclosed sketch will explain the position of the land more clearly.

Mokau Block.

3. With regard to the Mokau Block, I beg to report that it consists of a piece of land of about two miles square, extending along the banks of the river to a stream called Manga-uira. The offer of this block, however, is subject to several reserves made by the Ngatipehi hapu, headed by the chiefs Ngataua, or Te Kaka, and Te Waru, the former of whom retains a piece of land called Te Kauri, consisting of about 30 acres, with a frontage of nearly a quarter of a mile to the river, and including almost the only available spot for commercial purposes, whilst Te Waru reserves 300 acres of the best cultivable land in the block lying at the corner of the northern and western boundaries. A large tongue formed by a bend of the river is also excepted on account of being an ancient burial ground; and two other small reserves, one of them comprising the greater part of the land now occupied as a mission station. In addition to the above, one of the sellers also claims the timber growing on a considerable piece of land, though he stated his readiness to let the land go, after his trees shall have been cleared off.

4. His Excellency will perceive from what I have stated above that the whole extent of land offered on the Mokau will not greatly exceed 2,500 acres; and that, deducting the reserves, a balance of about 2,000 acres remains. Of this quantity not more than 500 acres would be of any use to Europeans, and that in the least accessible portion of the block, the remaining land being very much broken and thickly wooded.

Too limited in extent.

5. I therefore at once told the Natives that I could not listen to the offer of such a small block, but that the boundary must be moved up the river to a creek called Mangaharakeke, about twenty-five miles inland, which was the spot pointed out by Mr. McLean on a former visit. I found that they were quite prepared for this, and they replied that the offer they had made comprised all the land they had a right to sell individually; and that the land inland of Mahgauira belonged principally to the Natives living in the interior, who were fully represented by Ngataua, and whose determination was not to give up any more land until the piece offered was disposed of and settled. Finding that they adhered to this determination, and as they positively refused to allow me to go up the river to see the chiefs in the interior, I at once broke off the negotiations, telling them, as they had made the offer in order to bring Europeans there, and as the Europeans had already plenty of infinitely superior land on which to go, that, until they sold a block which would offer some inducement for settlers to go amongst them, the Government would not listen to their proposals. I stated, however, at the same time that they need not consider my refusal as final until I should have received the answer of the Governor-in-Chief.

Evil Advisers.

6. The Natives have been induced to adopt this course partly from the advice of chiefs in the southern portion of the island, amongst whose names that of Rawiri Kingi (Puaha) was most frequently mentioned; but their conduct has been principally guided by the advice of a Mr. Hopkins, who trades with a small vessel from Mokau, where he has a house. This person told them that they were wrong to sell their lands, using the usual argument that they would become slaves te the Europeans, &c., and, finding that they were still determined to sell, he told them only to let the land go in small blocks, as they would thereby obtain a much larger payment for it; and he induced them, under threats of leaving the place altogether, to reserve for him about fifteen acres, at the Kauri, of the best page 361 land for commercial purposes, including a portion of the river bank where loaded vessels can lie alongside and discharge their cargoes as at a wharf. I received all this information from the Natives privately, but cannot see how at present any proceedings could be taken against this man, although the mischief he is doing is very great, and his presence is a nuisance to the resident missionary, because he is under the protection of the chief Ngataua, and he possesses considerable influence with all the Natives on the river; so that it would, I fear, be impossible to induce any Native to give such evidence against him as would support an information under the Native Land Purchase Ordinance.

Awakino Block.

7. With reference to the block offered by Takerei, I beg to report that no obstacles exist in respect to it. Still the same opposition was made by a majority of the Natives to my proposal to extend the boundary inland, and the result of the conference was the same as at Mokau. The quantity of land comprised in this block is about 16,000 acres, but it is, as will be seen from the sketch, a mere strip along the sea-coast, and the land is very broken and hilly, thickly covered with wood, and extremely difficult—in many cases impossible—of access. The reserves asked for were very small, and were in all cases left entirely to my discretion.

8. I took care to explain to Takerei that the acceptance of his offer would depend in a great measure upon the purchase of the land at Mokau, and that if Peketahi's party persisted in refusing to increase their block, it was most probable that His Excellency would refuse his offer, especially as there was a difficulty about extending the boundary so as to include the available land on the banks of the Awakino. Ta Kerei seemed greatly disappointed at this, as he has for years been extremely anxious to have Europeans settled in his district, and has spared no exertion in endeavouring to obtain the consent of the Natives to my proposals.

9. With regard to the question of price, I made no proposal whatever with respect to the Mokau Block, telling the Natives that when they offered a piece of land worth having it would then be time enough to talk about the price. With regard, however, to the Awakino Block, I think that, should His Excellency deem it advisable to continue the negotiations, it could be obtained for a sum of Five to Seven hundred pounds, paid in three or four annual instalments, but I thought the better course was not to press the question too much at that time, to, avoid in any way leading the Natives to calculate upon the land being purchased by the Government.

Instructions requested.

10. Having stated the above circumstances for the information of the Governor-in-Chief, I have now the honor to request that I may be favored with His Excellency's instructions as to whether I should continue negotiations for the blocks at present offered, or whether the extension of the boundaries inland should be made a sine quá non; also as to whether, in the event of Takerei consenting to extend his boundary to a distance corresponding with the Manga Harakeke stream, His Excellency would approve of my re-opening the negotiation without reference to a purchase at Mokau.

Recognition of Takerei's Services desirable.

11. Should His Excellency decide upon refusing these offers altogether, perhaps I may be allowed to suggest that it would have a good effect if some token of consideration were given to Takerei, as that chief has exerted himself to the extent of his interest and eloquence to obtain the consent of the Natives to a sale, and the disappointment to him will be very great indeed; and from his influence in the Ngatimaniapoto tribe, and the interest which they possess with the Natives in this district, from the fact of having conquered them and once occupied their lands, I fear that seriously to offend him would have a prejudicial effect upon the purchase of lands in this immediate neighbourhood, whilst the acquisition of any considerable block from Ngatimaniapoto, would in all probability affect the question very favourably.

12. I have only to add that on leaving the Natives I promised them that no time should be lost in informing them of His Excellency's decision upon their offers so soon as I should receive instructions from Wellington. I therefore beg most respectfully to request that I may be favoured with a reply to this letter as soon as possible.

I have, &c.,

G. S. Cooper.

The Civil Secretary, &c., &c., &c.,
Wellington.