AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND NATIVE TRIBES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF GOLD FIELDS ON THE THAMES FOR THE TERM OF THREE YEARS.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 698, 22 December 1852, Page 4

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND NATIVE TRIBES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF GOLD FIELDS ON THE THAMES FOR THE TERM OF THREE YEARS.

1. That one system be adopted for the regulation of all persons searching and digging for gold between Cape Colville and Kauairanga. 2. The Government undertake to pay in respect of the whole Land within the above limits, per annum, for three years, for any number under 500 » £600 500 to 1000 £900 1000 to 1500 £1200 1500 to 2000 £1500 and so on in the same proportion. 3. The native ownens to register themselves and point out their boundaries to the Government, and the money paid to each body of owneis so registered, to boar the same proportion to the whole sum that their land does to the whole block. 4. All owners to be free to dig Gold on their own land, without payment to Government, but not to permit other peisons, whe*

ther Natives or English, to dig without a license. 5 The Government guarantees protection to all classes of persons : in consideration of which, a License Pee will be required from all diggers not being owners of the l<md. 6. The Native owners undertake to assist the Government as much as possible by reporting all pprsons who are found digging without a License. 7. The Government to be at liberty to issue Licenses immediately, but the payments to be reckoned from the Ist December, 1852; the first payment to be made on the 3 1st March, 1853, and quarteily afterwards. S. The property of the Land to remain with the Native owners ; and their villages and cultivations to be protected as much as possible. 9. If any of the Tribes of the Peninsula decline this proposal, their land shall not be intruded upon till they consent. (Signed) R. H. Wynyard, Lieut -Governor | Here follow Signatures of the Maori Chiefs.] „.., „, f6. A. New Ziuland. Witnesses of the ) WILLIAM Martin . Signatures | TnM Lanfear# Witness to Marks and f John G. Johnson, Signatures. { Interpieter. Coromandel Harbour, 30th November, 1852. Note. — The foregoing arrangements include the consent of three tribes, and comprise about 16 square miles, or 10,000 acres.

"Further Guarantee in respect to the Natives WHO HAVE AGREED TO LEASE THEIR Lands to Government. In addition to the terms of the agreement or lease dtawn up and signed on the 19th Nov., 1852, I guarantee that a Fund shall be created by a Tax of Two shillings on every License, for the purpose of paying (independent of the rent thus agreed upon) and for rewaiding the native owners for their faith and confidence in the Government, as well as recompensing them for any damage, annoyance, or inconvenience they may experience from Europeans while digging on their lands. (Signed) It. H. Wynyard, Lieut.-Governor.

On the 20th of November a meeting was held with the Chiefs of the Te Patukirikiii tribe. His Excellency the Governor having read the Address, the natives were requested to | make known their sentiments. Wiremu Hopihana Te Karore, stood up and spoke as follows: — "The commencement of the boundary is at Whangarahi, thence to the land belonging to Paul, On the other side, adjoining Paul's, it runs from the Whangarahi creek descendrng to Paetawa, where that boundary ends. Thence towards the south, the boundary descends a little below Maungatauiihi, and Tongarae, running thence (o Te Ranga, and ending at Pukerahui. Thence northward to a place named Matakotaki ; it adjoins Mr. Preece's land in a southerly direction, thence to Oturu, and comes out at Te Kurupairangi, descending thence to Waipatukahu, and bounded on the other side by the sea. This consenting is made in the presence of; the Governor, of the Bishop, of the Chief Justice, j of all the Europeans, of the Chiefs of Ngatipaoa, and before Te Moreta (Hook -nose) who sits here." Hook-nose grumbled out " Before yourself ' What have I to do with your matters?" Wi Hopihana resumed his speech — "If the arrangements be properly made today they will be binding, and the good result will be felt hereafter. This anangement is j not for the land, but for the protection of the people — both Natives and Europeans, Let the decisions of this meeting be just and good. It is an honourable thing to discuss matters j which are intended for the general good ; these j matters lam speaking of this day. lam thinking that the Governor should make known his sentiments with regard to this kind of new work, I mean the gold. I wait to hear the Governor's speech to-day ; let the regulations be made known with reference to the maintenance of good order, and how the natives who reside on the lands (near the gold field) should act." Hauauru Te Otatu interrupted the speaker by saying — " Long speeches, or short speeches, what ihen, — will tbe quantity of gold be increased? Talk of the gold being worked : talk about your own little piece of land so that the fat may be quickly eaten and the bones left (Gold is meant by the fat, and land by the bones.) Food will be abundant in the fruitful seasons, and the supply will l»e extended to years of dearth. Speak for yourself and say how much you want; -you must adjust these things. It is you who have to reap the harvest." Te Otatu addressing the old Chieftess of the Patukirikri tribe said — " Make haste and give uttei'ence to your thoughts ere you die." Pita, son of Te Tawaroa rose and said — " 0 Governor, hearken. We consent to the gold of the land being given up ; but the land itself is to be letained by us. The gold alone is to be given up to the Governor. Is it not so 1 ? (said he addressing the tribe) Are you willing to give up the gold to the Governoi ?" The whole of the people answered, — "Yes." " Shall we keep the land for ourselves and for our children V The whole of the tribe answered, — " Yes." Some inquiry being made with regard to tteh c formation of a township, His Excellency ob" served, should it be found necessary to form a settlement for strangers, that the owners of the land should then be consulted. The old Chieftess of the Patukirikiri tribe, Taurua Te Tawaroa, now rose and said, with much energy — "All I am agreeable to is, that the gold should be worked. The land will not be given up to you. The gold only will be given up. You have already heard that you are to have the gold ; but the land is for myself. Do you heaiken ; one month, — one hundred pounds; one month,— one hundred pound, for my claim, for mine only." The Chief Otatu called out, — " Go on old woman, be strong to ask for your rights, you have two hundred pounds already, you will get three hundred, and four hundred presently ; the Europeans have surely acceded to your demand, for they are all laughing at you." The gestures of this little old woman

excited s»o much merriment that we were obliged to desist from business for a time, and when the laughter had somewhat subsided, with much gravity, she renewed her attack, — leaning upon her staff she raised her voice and said —"0 Governor! Otic month, — one hundred pounds; for my claim only. Tliis will be my call, for ever and ever, amen, and ever after." At the conclusion of the speeches, the natives came forward and signed the Agreement.

On Satin day, the 20th of November, the Chiefs of tl.e Ngatitawatera, T.iraia and Moananui, came to see His Excellency the Lieut. - Governor. The Address was read to them, and they wcie encouraged to give their opinion. Taraia expressed a wish to know the terms of the agreement, which was accordingly read to him. The first clau.se refetring to Moehau and Kauwaeranga appeared to cieate much uneasiness in their minds ; hut on being informed that the clause in question did not affect their right to the lands, and that their claims would not be interfered with, even to search after gold without their sanction, they seemed to be satisfied. They signified their approval with reference to the other clauses in the Agreement. Taraia said — that he should wait for the people to assemble when he should know more fully the arrangements respecting Tokatea and Waiau. At present he said, that he was not disposed to open up his lands, that should gold be found on land belonging to him, he would talk with the Governor about it, and have a meeting at his own Settlement which would afford the Ngatimaiu an opportunity of being present, as that tribe had claims conjointly with his own.

On Monday, the 22nd, the tribes Ngatitamafera and Te Matewaru made their appearance at Patapata to talk about the gold of Tokatea. The Lieut.-Governor's Address -was read to these people and subsequently the Agreement signed by the Ngatipaoa, Ngativvhanaunga, and Patukirikiri tribes. Paul, the Chief of Te Matevvara, was the first speaker, lie said— " These speeches of yours are correct and some are not, there is a mixture. Theie should be no mixture in our though 1 sat this time. I will look to Waiau and observe the result of its working. It will be a good regulation to pay monthly. Ido not approve of your Agreement, that rests with the parties who signed it. I will enter into another Agreement. I am averse to the length of time proposed for the payment. lam not willing that other people should interfere in what concerns me alone ; whatever payment I am to receive, I wish it to te placed on the palm of my own hand, that I may see for myself whether it be great or small. I am willing to enter into arrangements for the portion that belongs to us, but I will not accede to your present Agreement." Paul addressing the Ngatipaoa and Ngaliwhauaunga said — " I am reflecting upon you by these remarks." They replied, " No, speak on, we approve of your remarks, and if you carry your point we will come under the same Agreement." His Excellency told Paul that the Agreement would not affect him until he had signed it ; that the natives must act for themselves, and that the owners of the soil were at libeity to anange or not as the case might be. Hoam Ngamu, a Chief of Te Metewaru, now rose and remaiked as follows— " We are thinking of the contents of this paper which has been read to us. Let your minds be clear with regatd to Moehau and Kamvaeranga ; let those names be struck out. Chew up the gold of the land that has been given up let the hands of the Europeans be thpre. The Governor is to stand by the natives ; this is just. It is said that the Governor will be a wall of defence ; we are much pleased with this ; let that sentence be deemed sacred." Paul also remarked — " Let the gold be taken to England, but let the authority of the land remain with us. We do not know the Queen, but the Governor we do know, for we see him. We are greatly pleased to find that the Governor will stand by i the natives. Let not the Governor's bodily presence be with us, while his heart is with the white people ; rather let his body and his spirit lean with us. As regards the white people, they are already under his protection. The Europeans are pleased with the Governor ; we give our assent to this. We say yes, this is good. We have nothing further to say, our sentiments are contained in our letter." His Excellency said — he would consent to Moehau and Kauvvaeranga being left out, but that merely permission to search for gold was intended by the insertion of these names, and that the titles to the lands would in no way be interfered with. These remarks of His Excellency were received with much applause. Hoani Ngamu said — " It is pleasant to look upon the lands that were given up to the Government when our consent has been obtained. If Hook -nose's arrangement works well we will come under it by and bye, at present, however, we will merely look on." William Jowett said— "We accede to this Agreement because the eighth clause is good." Hoani Ngamu addressing Hoete said — " Let not your hearts be dark with regard to what we have been saying." Paul said — " I should consent to the gold of my land being worked, but the amount of payment is not satisfactory. Another thing I fear is, that the number of Europeans who come will take my pigs perhipsj my plantations perhaps will be plundered ; my garments taken and I (meaning his people) will be illused or destroyed." His Excellency in reply said — that he came to offer his protection to the natives, and that he would also protect their property which might otherwise suffer from the strangers who may come to New Zealand. After Paul's party had concluded their speeches, Te Taniwha rose to welcome the Chief Taraia. Hook-nose on this occasion displayed an old cocked hat, and held in his hand his Patupounamu, (this green stone Mere is significantly named " The fire of the gods,") he spoke as follows : — " Welcome my son ! Welcome ! Welcome ! " Welcome, Welcome, to the shores that received the footprints of your fathers! " I sigh over thee my couDtry ! —and weep over the habitations of my fathers, for the fog is covering the summits of the mountains of I Hauraki!"