PARLIAMENTARY PAPER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 330, 2 December 1864, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY PAPER.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO SALE OP TOWNSHIP OF NGARUAWAHIA. No. 1. Co py of a Letter from E. Shortland, Esq., Native Secretary, to H. H. Turton, Esq. Colonial Secretary's Office (Native Department), Auckland, May 2, 1864. Sir, —I am directed by Mr. Fox to request you to undertake the investigation of the title to Ngarua*rahia. Your salary -will be at the rate of £600 per annum. You will be allowed the assistance of your son, Kirk Turton, bb clerk, at a salary of £150 per annum, and tho usual allowance for your travelling expenses, together -with any boat and canoe hire which may bo necessary. You -will be allowed rations and incidental expenses for natives, where requisite. The Government contemplates tho necessity of' continued investigations of a similar character into 4he titles of natives in other parts of tho Waikato •country. Should events render them necessary, your services will be further required. Your appointment—which is to be that of Commissioner for the Investigation of Native Titles—is to •date from 19th April, 1864. As far as the Government has power in reference to the Pension Acts, your previous serTiccs will be allowed to reckon in your favour. I have, &c., E. ShoBTIAND, Native SecretaryH. 11. Turton, Esq. No. 2. Copy of a Letter from H. H. Turton, Esq., to the Colonial Secretary. Auckland, June 17,1864. Sir, —I beg to report my return from the districts of Raglan and Waikato, whither I had proceeded on the 10th of May, in accordance with your instructions, to investigate and satisfy the claims of friendly or neutral natives to certain undefined portions of the Waikato land, which, by reason of rebellion, had become confiscate to the Crown* After waiting eight days -without success for a steamer to Whaingaroa, 1 started by the more expensive and circuitous overland road via Mangatawhiri. «o that no more time should be lost, since the Government were bo very anxious to have all native titles cleared away, and the district left to them for immediate occupation by military settlers, &c. The result of this commission, so far, ia contained in the enclosed " Agreement" of the non-belligerent natives to dispose of all their claims on the Waikato delta to her Majesty's Government for a sum of Tnoney to be awarded by myself as Commissioner, but still under the sanction of his Excellency's Advisers. On arrival at Waipa I found that William Barton (assistant missionary), and his son Andrew, were the only persons either able or willing to assist me in this investigation, and therefore I decided to to take them ■with me to Baglan, as a counteraction to any false claims which might be put in at that place. On reaching Whaingaroa, William Naylor BCnt ofi at once for all the claimants to come and meet me, •which they accordingly did; and at the public meeting which followed, they, after much discussion and explanation, entered into the appended "agreement," without a dissenting voice. After the signatures had been made to this agreement (in the presence of Major M'Gregor) to dispose of all their rights to land situated within the delta foimed by the two rivers, wherever they might flow, I paid over to them the sum of £50 as a first instalment (or " utu-maatamua") on the land, leaving the remainder to be paid as soon as we can arrive at an appropriate estimate of their real claims, —agreeing, nevertheless, that they, and not the Government, should be responsible for the equitable distribution of the money, in accordance with the claims proved, but ■under my own general supervision and sanction in the first place. On returning to Waipa, the same agreement was entered into with the claimants of tbat dietrict; and arrangements were made for obtaining the consent of similar claimants residing at Aotea, Kawhia, and elsewhere, so that no injustice should be knowingly done to any individual. The result of this negotiation (and which the natives perfectly understand, whatever they may say in future) if, that the Government Bhall make a specific award in compensation of their claims (whatever they may prove to be) between the rivers Horotiu, i.e. Waikato proper, and Waipa ; and that, in the meantime, the Government can carry out their scheme of military settlement as if no such claims existed. I have, &c., H. ITaxson Turton, Commissioner. Enclosure to No. 2. Agreement of the neutral Natives of Baglan and Waipa to dispose of their claims on the Waikato Delta.. Whaingaroa, May 24th, 1864. We do hereby consent to sell to the Government all the pieces of land belonging to us which lie between the rivers Waipa and Horotiu. By this (agreement), the title and authority of that land reverts (passes away) to the Government; and it is at their disposal at the present time for (carrying on) their system of settlement (i.e., placing men upon it.) When the sale of the lands above mentioned is completed, if we are desirous for any eel-fishery or other place, we consent to purchase Buch of those lands as may be conceded (agreed to) for us, according to the rate of payment which may be fixed upon by the Government—but on the condition that a Crown grant bo attached to such lands as may thus be taken (purchased) by us. Enough as to that. We have received from Mr. Turton, the judge of lands (special commissioner for investigating Native titles), £50 p.terling, at a binding and making sacred of this our agreement to sell those pieces of land to the Government (explained to them by the term " utu-maatamua," —i.e., deposit of first payment for the land.) In witness hereof we have signed our names below on this 24th day of May, 1864. (Here follow the signatures, not a single claimant declining to sign.) (True translation.—H. H. Turton.) No. 3. Copy of a Letter from H. H. Turton, Esq. to the Hon. T. Russell. Auckland, July 4, 1864. . r —l" reply to your inquiry as to the native proprietorship of the small block of land comprised within the township of Ngaruawahia, I have the honor to inform you that after making due investigation both there and at Raglan and elsewhere according to the ipecial instructions of the Government to that effect, I have arrived at the opinion . 1- That by far the greater portion of the town site belonging to the rebels, many of whom are on board the hulk. 2. That tho small remainder is claimed by Wiremu ITera, old Kahiwhaniwha, and Wm. Barton, with their several people, and 3. That there are no other claimants to that piece in this district beyond those whose consent to sell 1 have obtained. What other claims may be preferred by-and-by from distant places (if any) can easily be dealt with as they arise. I have other fists from Aotea and Kawhia lately received, assenting to my arrangements to purchase their claims on that delta as soon as I can with justice both to themselves and the Government; eothatl feel weII serared, from the peculiar character of

native titles, that every claimant of the least importance i» represented fully in the list of signatures obtained. I have, &c., H. 11. Turton. The Hon. the Minister of War, Auckland. No. 4. Memorandum by Ministers. Ministers respectfully Bubmit to his Excellency plaTiß of tho proposed township at Ngnruawahia, also the reports made by -Mr. Commissioner T'lirton upon tho friendly natives' claimß to latid at Ngaruawahia. It is of great importance tlint tho township should be sold as soon as possible. Ministers therefore respectfully advise liis Kxccllcncy to sanction the sale by public auction in tho usual »-avT. Russell. Colonial Defence Oflicc, Auckland, 4th July, 1864. No. 5. Memorandum by tho Governor. Tho Governor has just received his responsible advisers' memorandum of yesterdays's date, advising that the township of Ngnruawahia should bo sold by public auction in the usual way. Tho Governor observes from Mr. Turton's reports forwarded to him, that claimants for portions of this township may hereafter appear from distant parts oi New Zealand. Ho would, therefore, with a view to meeting such claims if they may arise, prefer seeing a portion of tho township reserved for such purpose for the present. Ho, however, adopts tho advice in other respects of his responsible advisers with regard to tho other portions of this township being disposed of. The manner in "which it is disposed ot to the persons to whom it is to be granted must of course bo settled by Ministers. G. Giiky. July stli, 1861. No. 6. PintLic Notification. Notice is hereby given that certain allotments in Quecnstown (Ngaruawahia) havo been set apart as sites for places of worship, and the representatives of the several recognised religious bodies who may wish to obtain, respectively, ono of tho said allotments, are hereby invited to make application at tho Survey Oflice, on or before Monday, tho 3rd of October nest. Chakies Heathy, Chief Surveyor. Survey Office, Auckland, Gth September, ISG4. Schedule of sites reserved in Quecnstown for Places of "Worship. No. of Lot. Contents. No. of Lot. Contents. 39 0 1 14 262 and 263 0 212 72 and 73 0 216 314 „ 315 0 2 IC> 128 „ 129 0 212 32-3 „ 32G 0 216 15G 0 1 20 391 0 1 33 215 „ 216 0 2 S 490 „ 499 0 216