Remuera.

At the meeting held with the sellers of Remuera, I placed the accounts before them, and explained the nature of the charges for the bridge. The absence of the papers made it very difficult to make clear the circumstances that had occurred so far back as 1862. The charge for the bridge amounted to £1,125 7s. 5d., and the total money that had accrued to £1,348 9s. 10d., of which sum it was very desirable that about £400 should be appropriated for school and hospital purposes. Thus, if the bridge were paid for, the Natives would have nothing to receive. But the result of careful inquiry revealed that the other section of the Ngatiwhatua Tribe living on the West Coast, between Manukau and Kaipara, had derived considerable benefit from the bridge. They came frequently to Orakei, and even had interests inland there I therefore proposed that, of the sum of £1,125 7s. 5d. for the bridge, £586 10s. should be charged to the Hikurangi, Paioterangi, and Puatahinga Blocks, on the West Coast. This was agreed to by all concerned: the sum of £404 16s. 2½d. was set aside for hospital and educational purposes, and £46 12s. 5d. appropriated (very willingly on the part of the Natives) to the cost of the management of the fund. Finally, I paid Paul Tuhaere and Te Hira the sum of £356 13s. 9d., and have £1 10s. left in hand.