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

[No. 5.]

No. 5.

Mr. Commissioner Kemp to the Chief Commissioner.

District Commissioner's Office Waimate, Bay of Islands, 12th April, 1856.

Sir,—

I have already adverted to the importance of settling the outstanding native claims to the Valley of Oruru.

I beg now to state as briefly as I can the particulars connected with these claims for His Excellency's information.

page 4

The Valley of Oruru was originally said to be purchased by Mr. S. H. Ford, and afterwards transferred by him to the Government for scrip. There were at the time of sale to Mr. Ford two distinct parties, resident owners, headed by their respective chiefs, Noble and Pororua. The purchase seems to have been defective, inasmuch as Noble's party alone received the bulk of the property paid by Mr. Ford. Pororua repudiated the sale in so far as his claims to half of the valley were concerned, and when Colonel Godfrey opened the Commission for investigating claims at Mangonui, Pororua joined issue with Noble, and hence followed the war, which ended by the latter giving up the contest, with considerable loss in killed and wounded.

Pororua was advised to retire, which he did, and resided with his friends at Whangaroa, and for some time it was considered as neutral ground.

Noble, I believe, afterwards received Sir. George Grey's sanction to return to Oruru for his services during the rebellion, and renewed his claim, which was met by Mr. White paying him the sum of £100 and a section of land of 100 acres, upon which he now resides.

This being done, the land was thrown open for sale by the Government, and the sum of between three and four thousand pounds (£3,000 and £4,000) realized.

To a portion of the land thus sold, Pororua continued to urge his claim, and a young chief named Tipene, connected with Noble's party. Both these parties have since visited Auckland, and their claims have been submitted for consideration, through Tamati Waka.

His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government promised that they should meet with every attention.

Mr. White, the Resident Magistrate at Mangonui, is most anxious that these claims should be speedily and finally settled, and the natives are equally anxious for an amicable settlement. After a careful hearing of the two claims, their demands (being much reduced from what they originally were) were left standing thus:—To Pororua, representing the powerful Ngapuhi Tribes, two hundred pounds (£200) in cash, or one hundred and fifty pounds (£150) and a section of land of one hundred acres. To Tipene, representing Moetara, Busby, and other northern tribes, £150: total, £350, cash.

The occupation by Pororua of a section of land in the Oruru, would be to bring two opposing chiefs into collision, which, for the sake of the district and of the settlers, it would be very desirable indeed to avoid. If you concur in this view of the case, the payment of the money would, I think, be by far the most satisfactory means of removing the present serious difficulties, and setting the question at rest.

Enclosed is a copy of a letter which has already been forwarded by Mr. White, and shows how important it is that no time should be lost in meeting the claims of these natives.

I have, &c.,

H. T. Kemp,
District Commissioner.

The Principal Commissioner, Land Purchase Department, Auckland.

Enclosure.

6 o nga ra o Pepuere, i tuhituhi ai.

E mara, E te Kawana,—

Ka tuarua whakawa o tenei kainga o Oruru; Ko te Honihana te Kaiwhakawa; Ko Henare Kepa te Kaiwhakawa ki Akarana; kei a ia te pukapuka o nga moni o te whakawa ki Akarana. Ko te karangatanga tenei, kotahi rau e rima tekau; koia kai noi atu nei matou kia homai, no te mea ka rua o matou tau i tatari a ia kia homai enei moni; ki te kahore koe e tuku mai i enei moni ka tangohia Oruru. Me he mea ka ngawari pukoe i tenei wahi, ki te homai i nga moni nei, ekore e mau Oruru. Ko ta matou whakaaro tenei kia kotahi taha pouri, kia kotahi taha marama, ko te taha ki a matou kia marama, kia kotahi ai tatou. E te Kawana, ko te whakaaro tenei o matou o te kai tuhituhi i tenei pukapuka o te hunga o runga i te iwi. Ka mutu.

Na te Hira,
Na Penehama,
Na.Puahu,
Na rahoe.

Kei Taipa, 1856.