Copy. True Copy. (Signed) D. McLean. November 8th. 1844. For the Information of His Excellency, the Governor. A Statement of the feelings evinced by the Natives of this district, having claims to the land surveyed by the New Zealand Company, from the Taniwha and Waitara, North, to Ngamotu, South. 1 Taniwha and Waitara. The Natives of the above settlement do not shew any inclination, at present, to dispose or part with any of the land in that neighbourhood. Nor do they consider themselves empowered to enter into a negotiation for the same, were they inclined, without the consent of several of the absentee Chiefs; who are principally living at Kapiti, and own the greater portion of the land. The resident natives do not acknowledge the claims of the New Zealand Company, to any part of that district. They invariably state that they never received payment for these lands; that they were not cognisant of a sale there of; and that they will not be induced to let European settlers establish themselves there without the consent of the absentee Chiefs. The present number of natives residing at the Taniwha, are forty-six; at Waitara, two hundred and fifty. There is one European settler, (a Mr. Aubry) living at Waitara; who is considered by the natives as living on sufferance. They have not shown any desire to remove him from there. 2nd. Waiongana. This land is occupied by fifteen natives of the Pukitapu tribe; two of whom have received a share of the payment given by the New Zealand Company for land; and have been desirous to make compensation in land for the goods they have received. One of them, an old man named Hamahona, is willing that the Europeans, - towards whom he has always shewn himself friendly, - should possess all the land he owns. He says, - "Having no children to inherit my lands, I wish the Europeans, who have always been my friends, to possess them." The intentions of this native have been opposed by Katatori; who has, all along, pursued a direct opposition to the occupation of any lands by the Europeans, excepting to the sea side of the Devon line. 3rd. Mongoraka. At this settlement there are nine Europeans; who have cultivated considerable portions of land, Eight of them are living on a Block of land of about 1300, (thirteen hundred) 60 acres which is claimed by Katatori, for himself, and a part, the ninth of his tribe, is living on land to the sea side of the Devon line; which land the natives are willing to sell. There are forty-eight natives living at Mongoraka; over whom Katatori assumes Chieftainship. He asserts that he will not allow, or consent to, any information being given with regard to lands there; that he does not wish to have individual portions pointed out; that if the Europeans are to remain, they must only occupy the lands to the sea side of the Devon line; that inland of that, he should reserve for themselves. Some of the natives of this tribe, six of whom have received a payment for land from the New Zealand Company, are desirous that the Europeans should remain on the lands they have oultivated there; and also dispose of more lands for their use. But as this does not meet with Katatori's approval, and nothing decisive will be entered into by the natives of his tribe, without his sanction, nothing definite has been arranged. 4th. Te Hua. The natives of this settlement are desirous to sell some of their lands; and one of them who received a payment from the Company, has offered a section of land by Mr. Cooke, a settler there, for the goods that he has received. There are sixty natives residing at this village. 5. Ngamotu. The claims of this tribe extend from the Waiwakaio River, North, to Ngamotu, or the Sugar Loaves, South. A line of demarcation has been drawn by them, from the North to the South end of their boundaries; which extends about two miles inland of the sea beach. Beyond this line, some of them are desirous to retain for their own use, - being principally timber land. The greater portions of land claimed by the Resident Natives, to seaward of this line, they are willing to sell at present; stating that at a future period they would prefer selling their lands gradually, in small portions, than in extensive Blocks. Their ideas, and those of the natives generally, of the value of land, are extravagant; arising in a great measure from exaggerated statements made by Europeans, of the princes they have paid for the lands they occupy in this district; which tends so much to enhance and overrate, in their ideas, the intrinsic value of land, that nothing but a desire (which I am glad to observed they express) to have the Europeans settled among them, would induce them to accept of a moderate compensation for their claims. The number of natives of the tribe, resident, are 130. (Signed) D. McLean.