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

[No. 3.]

No. 3.

Captain Porter, Land Purchase Officer, to the Under Secretary, Native Department.

East Coast.Land Negotiations. Militia Office, Gisborne, 3rd June, 1875.

Sir,—

In compliance with instructions, I have the honor to furnish a general monthly report relative to lands offered to and under negotiation for Government within my district. My report this month will be necessarily brief, as the transactions are few, and I have hardly initiated the system.

page 387

You are already aware of the opposition of Ngatiporou tribes to the introduction of the Government land purchase policy into their territory, and of the reasons which have led to this spirit of opposition. I have now to proceed cautiously to remove this feeling of antipathy, and it is not my intention to solicit the cession of lands, but to explain the equitable wishes of Government upon the subject, and so let the Natives themselves offer blocks.

During my visit up the coast I saw the leading chiefs, and read the Government Circular relative to the method of dealing, at which they expressed satisfaction.

Lands under offer, and in reference to which initiative steps have been taken, are as follows:—

Te Rotokautuku (Oil Springs, Waiapu).—This block has passed the Court at Waipiro, and contains about 5,500 acres. There are 427 owners entered in the memorial of ownership. The block is a good one, and suitable for any purpose. I have negotiated a lease under provisions of "The Lands Act, 1873," for twenty-one years, and obtained, before leaving Waipiro, 150 signatures. This block was first negotiated for by Government for the purpose of developing its oil resources. I report further on this block under separate cover.

Te Ahi o te Atua (Oil Spring).—This land has also passed the Waipiro Court, and its area is about 2,700 acres (am unable to give exact area, as maps are not back from Waipiro). There are in the memorial of ownership 426 names. I have not yet arranged anything about terms for this block, but they will be somewhat similar to those of Rotokautuku. The land itself would only be fit for grazing, should payable oil not be found upon it.

Te Poro Ika Moana (Oil Spring).—This is about the same area as Te Ahi o te Atua, but of little use for anything else than to bore for oil, and I think hardly worth negotiating as a lease, but might be worth purchasing after it passes the Court.

Hikurangi.—I attach hereto a copy of an offer to lease a piece of country situated this side of that mountain. The offer is a bond fide one, and I have informed the Natives that I will go up in July and visit the land, and at the same time make some arrangement as to terms. In conjunction with this block it is my intention to endeavour to get the whole of the country lying between the forks of the Tapuairoa and Mata Rivers, which are the head waters of the Waiapu. The back line would take in Hikurangi and the adjacent mountains. The tableland is very considerable, and suitable for agricultural or pastoral purposes. It will, however, be necessary to arrange with some private parties, T. Fox and F. Campbell, to forego some preliminary agreements entered into by them with some of the owners of small portions. By setting aside some portion as a reserve for the Natives, I think it possible to arrange the purchase of the whole.

Kawakadwa.—The Natives offer to lease a block of land situated between this place and Hick's Bay, but as it is included within a lately proclaimed boundary prohibiting sales or leases, I have deemed it prudent to defer action for the present.

Potiki Rua (near Cape Runaway).—Natives attending at the Waipiro Court offered this block to lease, but from inquiry I find it will be necessary to consult with Te Whanau-a-Panui tribe, as it is a border country.

This completes the number of pieces under negotiation by me, and you will perceive the general desire is to lease, upon which subject I have to ask the views of the Government in a separate letter.

I have, &c.,

T. W. Porter,
Land Purchase Agent.

The Under Secretary (Land Purchase Department),
Native Office, Wellington.

Enclosure.
[Translation.]

Hikurangi. Te Rere-a-tahu, 9th May, 1875.

To Captain Porter and Meiha Ropata,—

Friends, greeting. Herewith we forward the boundaries of our land for your information, which land we are willing to lease to the Government—that is, if the arrangements for so doing are satisfactory. This is a boná fide offer of ours to you: do you let it to them, and carry out the arrangements in accordance with our agreement to lease,—that is, so that our interests and the interests of those leasing the land will be protected.

Now, we consider that you can make satisfactory arrangements respecting the price for the land,—that is, the rent per acre.

We how ask you to make us an advance of £500 on that land.

Aporo Tamarere,
And seven others.

We also agree that that land should be surveyed.

Here follow the boundaries.