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

No. 70. — Mr. Commissioner Searancke to the Hon. the Native Minister

No. 70.
Mr. Commissioner Searancke to the Hon. the Native Minister.

Whangarei.Land Purchases during 1864.Auckland, 27th December, 1864.

Sir,—

In compliance with your request, I beg to hand you a list of purchases of Native lands made by me during this year:—

Acres.
The Pataua Block 1580
W[gap — reason: damage]nanake Block 1145
Whanui Block 9270
Waikare Block 8580
Hokopua Block 140
Matapouri Block 4500
Nine small islands in Whangarei River.
Whangarei and Otaika Road.
Waikaraka Road.

And I beg to remark seriatim on them as follows:–

The Pataua Block, surveyed by desire of the Old Land Claims' Commissioner, is the private property of Mr Thorne, of Sydney; is undisputed by the Natives, to whom I paid a sum of £120.

The Wananaki Block, situated on a small river of that name on the coast, is an old land claim of Captain Salmon's, who received Scrip some years ago from the Government in exchange; will be a valuable site for a township when the adjacent country, now offered for sale, is purchased from the Natives. There is no dispute that I am aware of on this block, but the Whanauwera Tribe, who are living on a portion of it, are anxious to purchase the portion occupied by them.

The Whanui Block, situated near the Whangarei River, is undisputed by the Natives.

The Waikare Block is situated on the Coast; when purchased, I considered it to be one of the fairest and most indisputable sales; but on the return of Hirini Tipene from England, some months after the sale was completed, he set up a claim to a portion named Tikitikitohe. His claim I never heard of before, nor did his father, whom I asked to accompany me when I paid the money, set up any claim on behalf of his son. I have been trying to make the Natives, who received the money, settle with Hirini, but in vain. His claim, consequently, still exists. He has, I believe, written to the Government on the subject.

The Hokopua Block is a small piece of land in the Ngunguru River, a portion of Mr. Busby's claim.

The Matapouri Block is an old land claim on the coast, for which Scrip was given some years ago by the Government. I settled the Native claims on it for a sum of £120, and do not now think that there are any Native disputes or claims upon it.

Islands in the Whangarei River; is a recent purchase, and no claims exist on them, Whangarei and Otaika Road was purchased at the request of the Superintendent of Auckland to connect the line of proposed road between Whangarei and Auckland via Mangapai, Waipu and Mahurangi, to Auckland.

Waikaraka Road is the present track running from the Whangarei River to the Settlers' Cultivation, through the Native reserves

These are the whole of the purchases made by me this year; and I may add that I had not only to conduct the negotiations for purchase, but also to make the surveys myself unassisted.

The blocks of land now under offer from the Native owners are—

The Mangari Block

The Wairua Block

The Wairua (Coast Block)

The South Wananake Block

And an undefined block lying between the Wairua River on the south, and the Ruapekapeka Block on the north, including, I believe, the proposed Bay of Islands road.

page 92

The Mangari Block.—The survey of this is now completed, and the area calculated at 2,800 acres. A sum of £330 is demanded by the Native owners as purchase money for it.

The Wairua Block.—The survey of this block is now completed, but not yet mapped. I roughly estimate the area at 3,500 acres.

The Wairua Coast Block is a large block of land of about 40,000 acres, situated between Wananake south, and extending northwards to within a short distance of Whangaruru Harbour, and inland to the Wairua River.

South Wananake Block is a block from recent extension of the boundaries of about 20,000 acres, commencing south on the boundaries of the Matapouri Block, and bounded northwards by the Wananake River.

A block (boundaries not yet clearly defined) is also now verbally offered for sale. It commences on the north and west bank of the Wairua River, and extends north to the Ruapekapeka Block.

The sketch accompanying clearly points out the blocks of land purchased, as also those now under offer from the Native owners.

I have, &c.,

William N. Searancke, District Commissioner.

The Hon. the Native Minister, Auckland.