REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF NATIVE RESERVES.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1874 Session I, G-05

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1874. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF NATIVE RESERVES.

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by Command, of Sis Excellency.

FEOVINCE OF AUCKLAND. The tenant of the lower part of lot 4, section 12, in Mechanic's Bay, having become insolvent, has given up his occupation. The sea-wall built by the Harbour Commissioners has entirely cut off the water frontage of this reserve, and materially injured it. The tenant had taken it for a timber yard, but it has become unfit for such a purpose. At Onehunga, the tenant of sub-section 8 of lot 11, section 20, has also given up occupation. The completion of the railroad to the new wharf has to some extent transferred business from th4 vicinity of the old wharf where this reserve is situated. I have, however, succeeded in re-letting a part of this land to Mr. Sims, on yearly occupation, at a rent of £3 10s. a year. The land at Blackett's Point, lot 89 of suburban section 1, has been surveyed into six lots of about an acre each, and offered for lease by public auction. The following lots have been let: — Sub-division No. 1, containing 1 acre, for 21 years, at £5 a year, to Mr. . „ No. 2, containing 1 acre, for 21 years, at £3, to Mr. . „ No. 3, containing 1 acre, for 21 years, at £4, to Mr. . „ No. 4, containing 1 acre, for 21 years, at £5, to Mr. . ~ No. 5, containing 1 acre, for 21 years, at £4, to Mr. ■ ——. „ No. 6, containing 3 roods 20 perches, for 21 years, at £3. In all, £24 a year, against £13 a year, recent rent. Lower part of No. 4, section 12, Mechanic's Bay, has been re-let for £12 a year, for 21 years. An iron tank has been purchased for the hostelry, Mechanic's Bay, for the sum of £4 ss. At Onehunga a custodian has been placed in charge of the storehouse and hostelry. The Waikatos are again making use of this place, that had been unused by them since the commencement of the Waikato war. The sum of £6 3s. 6d. has been expended in materials and building of a chimney to this hostelry. At Coromandel the chief Makuare te Pukeroa applied to be allowed to substitute a larger and more valuable piece of land for Parangau No. 13, containing 29 perches. By an inadvertence he had allowed this land to be reserved for him while it was under contract for sale to Mr. John Lynch, who has built a house upon it. I personally examined the piece offered, and found it was of larger area (1 rood 23 perches) and more valuable, being at the actual landing-place, and in use as a timber yard. The exchange was therefore allowed, and the substituted land placed with Mr. Keddell, E.M., and myself, in trust for Makuare and his heirs.. The tenancy of the Maungatapu estate at the Piako, containing 6,110 acres, has been transferred from T. B. Gillies, Esq., to W. A. Murray, Esq. Waiuku. The lands granted in 1866-67 to the loyal Natives of Waiuku, under " The Friendly Natives Contracts Confirmation Act, 1866," have been cause of much trouble to the Natives beneficially interested. They comprise upwards of 3,749 acres, and were conveyed in trust to certain chiefs for themselves and their tribes or hapus. The chiefs contracted for the actual sale of some of these reserves, and let others in an irregular manner. Instead of dividing the rent derived amongst those legally entitled to receive it, it is asserted that they have kept it for their own purposes ; certainly they have rendered no accounts. They have also sold the valuable timber, to the material injury of the land, and the lesser claimants complain that this is done without their concurrence or participation. Various propositions have from time to time been made to the Natives to adjust these matters, but although the -Native trustees are willing to rid themselves of the trouble of management, they have hitherto declined to accede to any arrangement that did not leave to them such a share of the profits as was incompatible with the rights of the lesser claimants. I visited Waiuku in May, and met Paora te Iwi, Wiremu Tauroa, and other Natives of influence. After an exhaustive discussion of their position in relation to the reserves, I proposed that the most fertile and valuable of the reserves —Tahurangatira—of 1,700 acres, should be cut up into conveniently sized sections for each family or individual (as might be required), and allocated to them by an officer of the Government. The trust grants should then be surrendered, and grants, with limitations on sale, I—G. 5.

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made to the families or individuals to whom the land was so allotted. The Natives present agreed to this, and have written a letter (copy appended) expressing their desire that such plan should be carried out. I promised, Sir, to recommend the measure to your approval. It will require an expenditure, chiefly in surveying, of about £300 to carry out; but having in view the fact that an individualization of title had been from the first promised to these people, and believing that the plan would tend to remove a long-continued source of irritation, I did not hesitate in assuring them that it would receive the careful consideration of the Government. If the individualization of the Tahurangatira reserve can be successfully carried out, other of the reserves may also have to be divided; and when enough subsistence land is surveyed off and rendered inalienable, the restrictions to lease, which are now keeping several large and valuable reserves unutilized, and are much complained of. might be removed, and tenants found for them. Tauranga. The lease of lot No. 50, in the suburbs, has been transferred from Mr. H. L. Skeet to Mr. Noah Parsons. The tenant, Mr. G-ray, of lot No. 72, in the town, having shown conclusively that the rent agreed to be paid was excessive, a new arrangement has been entered into, by which the rent shall be £5 a year instead of £7. Lots Nos. 140 and 141, in the town, have been let for 21 years, to Mr. R. F. Koller, for £5 first seven years, £10 second seven years, and £15 for remainder of term. PKOVINCE OP WELLINGTON. The following lands have been purchased by the Commissioner of Native Reserves for the Government, namely : — No. 1, —Sixty-nine acres at Pencarrow Head, being the "Wellington lighthouse site. This was a part of a large reserve made by Colonel McCleverty, in 1848, for the Petoni Natives. By some inadvertence a beacon first, and subsequently a lighthouse, was erected on this reserve, without the consent of the Native owners being asked. In 1865 the lighthouse was purchased by the General Government from the Province, and several attempts were made to purchase the necessary land for a station, but the Natives required a sum that was unreasonable and excessive. In September last I obtained the assent of the Natives to convey to the Crown sixty-nine acres around the light-house station for the sum of £138; and to commute their claims for rent, firewood taking, and cattle trespass, from the time the General Government had been in possession, July, 1865, to July, 1873, for the sum of £35. The sale has been carried into effect and the deeds registered. The adjacent land at Orongorongo had been held since 1852 as a sheep station by Mr. Riddiford, who had received a Crown Grant from Governor Grey for an area of 594 acres in the midst of it. The cession of the land to the Crown had never, however, been completed. It lay just beyond the limit that the Natives averred they had sold to the New Zealand Company, and a payment of £30 out of £100 had been made to them for it in 1853, when the negotiation was interrupted. In November last I assembled together the Natives interested in the land, and offered them £70, being the unpaid balance originally agreed upon. A long discussion ensued, and the land having advanced greatly in value, and it being known that it was Crown-granted, a larger price was demanded. Ultimately, £30, as interest, was agreed to be given, and deeds of cession were signed and registered. I have purchased from the owners of section 57, at Taita, in the Hutt, four acres of that reserve, for the Wellington-Masterton Railway, for the sum of £100. At Ikamaru, near Ohariu, a section of 100 acres sold to a settler, was known, for several years past, to extend over a piece of land that was originally a Native reserve, and over portions of which certain Natives still claimed an interest. About a year since, after a very close investigation, three women, Paritawhera, Rihi, and Riria, were found to have valid claims, —the two former to forty acres each and the last to sixty acres, which areas were respectively awarded to them. As Paritawhera's claim lay contiguous to the settler's land, I obtained, at the instance of the Commissioner of Crown Lands here, your sanction to buy out her title, which I did for the sum of £15. The land was poor and hilly, of little value to the woman, but of considerable importance to the settler. The town acres Nos. 89 and 90, in Taranaki Street, on which stand the barracks of the Armed Constabulary, have been purchased for the Crown from the Te Aro Natives for £500. By these several arrangements, the causes of a long-standing discontent in the minds of the local Natives has been removed, as well as some anxiety felt by the respective settlers. The town acres Nos. 995 to 1,005, in Rintoul Street, near the Adelaide Road, comprising 11 acres, have been let by tender to Dr. A. Johnston, for twenty-one years, at a rent as follows :■ —First seven years, £20 a year ; second seven years, £25 a year; and third seven years, £30 a year. The lease of town acres Nos. 972 to 989, in the same locality, has been transferred from the Hon. Mr. Mantcll to Dr. Johnston. All the pegs of these lands having disappeared, it was necessary to have them surveyed, at a cost of £7 10s. The reserve, Te Puka, of 60 acres at Wainui, "West Coast, has been let to Mr. Isaac Smith, for seven years, at £6 a year, and 155 acres of the Wainui Reserve to same person at £8 a year. I stated in my last report, that the owners of the Native reserves in Polhill's Gully, Te Aro, and at Ohariu, had placed those lands in my hands, being unable to manage them themselves. Since taking over these lands, I have collected rents and recovered arrears to the amount of £124 11s. 6d., and placed the property, generally, on a more satisfactory footing. Thus, the road in the upper part of the gully ran along impracticable levels. This has been altered, and a new line of road arranged, and the site, 29 perches, conveyed to the Crown. As the main water-pipes for the city supply led over this ground, the City Council has paid the sum of £25 for the alteration. I have let part of lot No. 39, in Wordsworth Street, containing 3 roods, to Mr. William Thompson, for twenty-one years, at £10 a year, from Ist January, 1874. I have recovered £5 arrears from the

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late tenant of No. 37 and other part of No. 39, and made arrangements by which the new tenant takes upon himself the liability of £20 more of arrears that the Natives had suffered to become due from the outgoing tenant, whose terms of occupation were of an unsatisfactory nature. I have had surveyed, at a cost of £5, the section 91 at Ohariu, and let it to Mr. J. Marshall. It contains 119 acres of hilly bush land. The terms are, for first seven years, £15 a year; second seven years, £20 a year; and last seven years, £25 a year. This has not been hitherto utilized. The Native reserve at Kaiwharawhara, called Otari, of 134 acres, has been let for 14 years to Mr. Samuel Woodward, at £20 a year for first seven years, and £25 a year for remainder of term. This has not before been let. About 1 acre 2 roods in the immediate rear of the "Wellington Gaol has been let for 21 years to Mr. M. Reid, on behalf of Provincial Government, at £3 a year. This land has not before been utilized. The tenant at Makara has paid up £40 arrears of rent, which is divisible amongst Ngatitama Natives here and at Wellington. The two last-named reserves have been voluntarily placed with me by the Natives for management. TVanganui. The foreshore of the river abreast of the market-place, and of sections 74, 75, and 76 in Taupo quay, has been set aside for a Native market and landing-place for canoes, due provision being made for public access to the river. Out of the confiscated lands at Patea and Whenuakura, 500 acres have been set aside as reserves for general Native purposes. They will be ready for letting on completion of survey. Leases fallen in or surrendered, four. New leases granted, or contracts made for leases, sixteen. Arrears of rent recovered, £113 Is. 6d. Arrears of rent at present, nil. Transfer of leases, three. Lands placed in the Management of Commissioner. The Ngatitoa chief Wiremu Tamehana has voluntarily placed with the Commissioner of Native Reserves, for management, three sections in Block No. 10 of the village of Takapuahia, at Porirua; and the Natives Erenora Tungia and Hoane Te Okoro, of the same tribe, have placed with the Commissioner twelve sections in Block No. 8 of that village. McCleverty Reserves. The following lands have been under the action of the Native Land Court, and the Native title determined: —Komangatawhiri, Reserve 3 ; Haukopua; Ngauranga, sections 8 and 9 ; Omororo, section 16, Ohiro, and part of town belt. Chables Heapht, Wellington, 29th May, 1874. Commissioner of .Native Reserves. • •.'■'• Paoea Te Iwi and others.— Be Reserves at Waiuku. Peiend McLean, — Tahurangatira, Waiuku, Bth May, 1874. We have this day discussed with Major Heaphy the grievances that we have respecting our lands at Waiuku, and he has promised to tell you our words. Mr. King was interpreting. These are our thoughts : — The Government originally promised that we should have separate grants for our several pieces ; and we now ask for new grants : one for each family. We say, let Tahurangatira and Tahuamango be surveyed into pieces, as Mr. John White proposed, but for each family. If six persons are put on one piece and one person on another piece, let the pieces be separate when surveyed ; and separate grants also be given, to secure to the persons who are to have the piece (of land) for ever, and for their children or relations. We consent to this plan; and if the Government will send a surveyor, and an interpreter to direct and explain the plan of the work, we also will join to assist them, in order that the work may be properly done. And we promise not to break this agreement; and say to you, be strong to ask for a surveyor and an interpreter to be sent, and we will give up the old grants which were given to some of us, in order to obtain new grants for each family. And if Tahurangatira and Tahuamango can be so arranged, then will we say, Let the other lands be done in the same way; but let the fruit of this agreement be first seen. This is our letter. From Paora Te Iwi. ~ Hoera Te Oro x. \ „ Perereka Whahieroa x. „ Perereka Te Roha. ~ Wiremu Tauroa. „ Hemi Manu. „ Hori Ngahange.

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ACCOUNTS. AN ACCOUNT of all MONEYS RECEIVED and EXPENDED by the COMMISSIONER of NATIVE RESERVES in respect to Native Reserves in the Provinces of Wellington and Auckland, from 1st July, 1873, to 30th June, 1874.

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xumnxjmi 1873. Wellington. July 2. J. Fitchett, jun., balance of half-year's Eent on Native Reserve, Polhill's Gully, due 1st July, 1873 „ 11. E. J. King, half-year's Eent on Native Keserve at Porirua, due 13th July, 1873 „ 22. "W. France, quarter-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Ohariu, due 1st July, 1873 ... „ 30. J. E. Smith, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Pipitea Street, due 1st July, 1873 Aug. 14. E. Pearee, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Pipitea Street, due 1st July, 1873 ... „ 14. Hon. ~W. B. D. Mantell, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Te Aro, due 1st July, 1873 ... „ 20. J. Dransfield, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Polhill's Gully, due 1st June, 1873 ... ... ... - ... „ 23. A. Mackay, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Wainui, due 1st July, 1873 ,, 23. F. W. Smith, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Paikakariki, due 1st July, 1873 ... Sept. 3. ~W. Cornor, one year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Polhill's Gully, due 26th August, 1873 ... „ 18. E. J. King, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Porirua, due 23rd August, 1873 ... Oct. 1. J. Fitchett, jun., half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Polhill's Gully, due 29th September, 18t3 ,, 9. C. Swiney, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Te Aro,due 11th Octobcr,1873 „ 10. Colonel Moule, one year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Mount Cook Barracks, due 1st July, 1873 „ 11. W. France, quarter-vear's Eent on Native Eeserve at Ohariu, due 1st October, 1873 ... '.. „ 21. J. W. Smith, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Ohariu, due 18th October, 1873 ... Nov. 24. Fisher and "Whitehouse, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Porirua, due 1st December, 1873 Dec. 24. F. Smith, half-year's Eent on Native Reserve at Paikakariki, due 1st January, 1874 ... „ 31. Mary Leach, one year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Polhill's Gully, due 1st January, 1873 ... ... ... .... „ 31. Mary Leach, one year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Polhill's Gully, due 1st January, 1874 £ a. 5 0 30 0 3 13 1 10 G 0 16 0 6 0 7 10 6 10 12 0 6 0 6 0 1 1 14 0 3 13 15 0 25 0 6 10 22 10 9 0 d. 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 1874. Jan. 2. A. "Wall, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Porirua, due 1st January, 1874 „ 12. E. J. King, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Porirua, due 13th January, 1871 „ 19. W. Bould, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Ohariu, due 1st January, 1874 „ 21. A. Mackay, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Wainui,due 1st January, 1874 ... „ 27. J. Wyngate, one year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Polhill's Gully, due 1st January, 1874 ... „ 28. J. Dransfield, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Polhill's Gully, due 1st December, 1873... ... ... ... ... .." „ 28. J. E. Smith, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Pipitea Street, due 1st January, 1874 ... „ 29. J. Fitchett, jun., half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Polhill's Gully, due 1st January, 1874 ... „ 29. E. Pearee, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Pipitea Street, due 1st January, 1874 ... Feb. 3. "W. France, quarter's Eent on Native Eeserve at Ohariu, due 1st January, 1874 „ 12. Dr. A. Johnston, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Te Aro, 31st December, 1873 ... Mar. 27. J. Fitchett, jun., half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Polhill's Gully, due 25th March, 1874 April 20. J. Smith, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Ohariu, due 18th April, 1874 ; May 4. C. Swiney, half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Te Aro, due 11th April, 1874 - „ 12. "W. France, quarter-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Ohariu, due 1st April, 1874 „ 22. E. J. King, half-year's Rent on Native Eeserve at Porirua, due 23rd February, 1874 „ 23. ~W. Thompson, balance of half-year's Eent on Native Eeserve at Polhill's Gully, to 30th June, 1874 25 0 30 0 43 11 7 10 10 0 G 0 1 10 5 10 G 0 3 13 16 0 6 0 15 0 1 1 3 13 6 0 3 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 a 6 0 a

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1874. Wellington. £ s. <L June 1. E. J. King, half-year's Kent in advance on Native Reserve at Porirua, 1st July to 31st December, 1874 ... ... ... ... ... 5 0 0 „ 5. W. Whitehouse, half-year's Rent on Native Reserve at Porirua, due 1st June, 1874 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 25 0 0 „ 8. J. Marshall, half-year's Rent on Native Reserve at Ohariu, due 1st July, 1874 7 10 0 „ 11. Lieut.-Colonel Moule, nine months' Rent on Lots 89 and 90, Mount Cook Barracks, due 31st March, 1874 ... ... ... ... ... 10 10 0 „ 22. Dr. A. Johnston, half-year's Rent on Lots 972 to 989 at Te Aro, due 30th June, 1874 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 0 0 „ 22. Dr. A. Johnston, half-year's Rent in advance on Lots 995 to 1005 at Te Aro, from 1st April to 30th September, 1874 ... ... ... ... 10 0 0 „ 30. M. Read, half-year's Rent on Native Reserve adjoining the G-aol, from 1st January to 30th June, 1874 ... ... ... ... ... 1 10 0 1873. Auckland. July 10. Mathew Roe, one year's Rent on Native Reserve at Onehunga, due 30th June, 1873 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 14 0 0 „ 24. J. Skeet, two years' Rent on Native Reserve at Tauranga, due 1st January, 1873 - 15 0 Aug. 28. S. Grace, one year's Rent on Native Reserve at Tauranga, due 1st July, 1873 3 10 0 Sept. 30. W. A. Murray, half-year's Rent on Native Reserve at Maungatapu, due 1st October, 1873 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 26 11 0 1874. Jan. 13. R. F. Koller, half-year's Rent on Native Reserve at Tauranga, due 1st December, 1873 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 10 0 April 7. W. A. Murray, half-year's Rent on Native Reserve at Maungatapu, due 1st April, 1874 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 26 11 0 „ 20. Archard and Brown, half-year's Rent on Native Reserve at Mechanic's Bay, due 1st July, 1873 ... ... ... ... ... ... 37 10 0 May 5. M. Roe, half-year's Rent on Native Reserve at Onehunga, due 1st January, 1874 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 0 0 „ 7. J. T. E. Rogan, one and a half-year's Rent on Native Reserve at Mechanic's Bay, due 31st December, 1873 ... ... ... ... ... 21 0 0 „ 16. Mr. Sims, on account of Rent on Native Reserve at Onehunga, due 30th June, 1874 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 0 0 June 6. N. Parsons, one year's Rent on Native Reserve at Tauranga, due 1st January, 1S74 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 12 6 „ 15. Archard and Brown, one half-year's Rent on Native Reserve at Mechanic's Bay, due 31st December, 1873 ... ... ... ... ... 37 10 0 „ 26. J. "W. Gray, one half-year's Rent on Native Reserve at Tauranga, 1st February to 1st August, 1874 ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 10 0 Total ... ... ... £655 7 0 Expenditure. 1873. Wellington. £ s. d. July 9. Wi Parata, Rent ... ... ... ... ... 25 0 0 „ 10. Pene Kote, Rent ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 0 0 „ 10. Hohaia Pokaitara, Rent ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 0 0 „ 14. Ngahuka Tungia, Rent ... ... ... ... ... ... 30 0 0 „ 16. McKenzie, advertising lease of Native Reserves, Ohariu ... ... 3 3 0 16. Blundell, advertising lease of Native Reserves, Ohariu ... ... ... 1 10 0 '„ 31. Bank cheque book ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 8 4 „ 30. Paratene, Neta, and Mete Kingi, Rent ... ... ... ... 3 13 6 Sept. 29. Ngahuka Tungia, Rent ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 0 0 Nov. 4. Paratene, Neta, and Mete Kingi, Rent ... ... ... ... 3 13 6 n 11. Daniel Drake, one plan rack ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 9 „ 13. Ropata Hurumutu, Rent ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 10 0 „ 13. Hemi Parai and 16 others, Rent ... ... ... ... ... 29 0 0 „ 13. Hemi Parai and 16 others, Rent ... ... ... ... ... 15 0 0 „ 15. Tipene Paramata, Rent ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 0 0 Dec. 24. Tipene Paramata, Rent ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 10 0 1874. Jan. 5. Ngahuka Tungia, Rent ... ... ... ... ... ... 25 0 0 8. McKenzie, advertising lease of Native Reserve at Te Aro ... ... 4 8 0 8. Blundell, advertising lease of Native Reserve at Te Aro ... ... ... 18 9 „ 13. Ngabuka Tungia, Rent ... ... ... ... ... ... 30 0 0 „ 27. Wi Neira, Rent ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 25 0 0 „ 30. Hemi Parai and 16 others, Rent ... ... ... ... ... 96 11 0 „ 31. Ropata Hurumutu, Rent ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 10 0 Mar. 19. R. V. Briscoe, surveying Native Reserves at Te Aro ... ... ... 7 10 0 May 26. Ngahuka Tungia, Rent ... .... ... ... ... ... 6 0 0 June 1. Paratene, Paiura, and Mete Kingi, Rent ... ... ... ... 7 7 0

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1874. June 2. "Wari Kairangi, Bent Wilkinson, surveying Section 91, N. E. Ohariu ... £ s. d. 5 0 0 5 0 0 1873. Auckland. Oct. 1. W. N. Searancke, Eent of Maungatapu 1874. May 22. W. C. "Wilson, for lithographing 100 plans, Blackett's Point, Auckland June. Charles Smith, for materials building chimney to Native Hostelry, Onehunga, Auckland June. James Craig, for purchase of one iron tank for Native Hostelry, Mechanic's Bay, Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... ..." June. W. N. Searancke, Bent of Maungatapu 2G 11 0 5 0 0 6 3 6 4 5 0 26 11 0 Total £475 0 4 Balance—Excess Eeceipts over Expenditure £180 6 8 By Authority: Geobge Didsbcky, Government Printer, Wellington.—1871. Frice 6£]