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

No. 16. — Mr. Interpreter Johnson to the Surveyor General

No. 16.
Mr. Interpreter Johnson to the Surveyor General.

Manukau.—Native claims at Mangere. Native Secretary's Office, 9th August, 1852.

Sir,—

I have the honor to report to you that not finding Te Whero Whero at Mangere, I followed him to the Big Muddy Creek on the Manukau, where he was engaged in cutting out a monster canoe wherein to carry away the remains to Waikato of the Chief Kati, interred at Mangere.

On communicating to him the purport of my visit, and after having read the letter from the Native Secretary, he expressed himself satisfied. He said "he was aware that some of the natives had endeavored to make difficulties with a view of inducing him to leave Mangere, but that their schemes would be of no avail as he was determined not to relinquish that place on account of remarks made by any of the natives; but that if the Government had wished him he would have left it at once." I explained to him that the matter would now be set at rest by his receiving a Crown Grant, by which his possession would be similar to that of the Europeans to their lands: at which the chief and the rest of the tribe seemed greatly pleased.

Te Whero Whero stated that he had always been, and intended to be, a staunch friend to the Government; that he carried the weight of the principal chiefs in the country with him, who were all firm in their adherence to the Queen; and that while such was the case, nothing was to be apprehended from men like Wetere, who was one of themselves, but whose conduct was so unreasonable that none of them would support him. He further observed that the agitation which had been raised about lands had for its sole object the extortion of money, on the part of people who had either participated formerly in the payment of the same lands they now claimed, or whose indirect connection with the owners of the lands was so remote as not to constitute a valid claim at all, and ought to be treated by the Government with indifference. He did not, however, think they would persevere because their party was so small compared with the great body of the natives, that if they did so, they would inevitably meet with disaster.

He also intimated his intention of embodying in writing, for His Excellency's information, the names of the chiefs and tribes over whom his influence extends, who would respond to his call and who were firmly united to support himself and the Government, and finally, that if anything was going forward amongst the natives of sufficient importance to claim the attention of Government, he would not fail to give the earliest authentic information.

I have, &c.,

John Grant Johnson,
Interpreter.

C. W. Ligar, Esq.,
Surveyor General.