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C—No. 3

complete ignorance of the promise made by Mr. Mantel!, nor can I even obtain from them any copy of, or information respecting the Maori Deed of conveyance upon which alone rests their equitable right or recognised power to sell any land in the Province. I say power, because whatever theorists and lawyers may choose to maintain of the Crown alone being the source and origin of all real title, there were lands about Akaroa Harbor which until the recent purchase, the Maories had always warned and compelled surveyors and persons claiming the ownership of, to desist from trespassing on, and they would have enforced their warnings by violence and bloodshed, if unheeded. I beg to suggest that you move the proper anthorities to take steps necessary to give full effect to the pledges of Mr. Mantell acting for the Crown in former years, and to prevent any desecration of Kaiapoi old Pah, which is sacred to the Maories from the number of their ancestors who fell and are buried there. Connected also with this subject, I beg your notice of the fact, that since I have been engaged in the public service at Canterbury I have never yet (especially as a Magistrate) been able to find any competent Maori Interpreter, the Eevd. Mr. Aldred excepted. But this gentleman being engaged on Mission duty can but very rarely attend to any other. The Maories may therefore be considered as enjoying the barest protection from Government and the Law. In the Courts there is the greatest difficulty in adjusting their disputes, and they have no means of full intercourse with the Local Government. I feel confident that had they been able to make their complaints known to some person capable of understanding them and acting between them and the Government, they would not for six years until now, as evidence compels me to believe , , have suffered l the injustice of having their lands North of Kaiapoi occupied by us without payment for it, or at least their claim, even if bad, would long since have been investigated and pronounced upon by authority. Speaking on behalf of a population of some 400 or 500 Aboriginal Natives residing in Canterbury Province, I think they have a fair and equitable claim on the Government, to have some competent person sent amongst them periodically, say every 3 years at least, to assist them in settling all their affairs of importance, and to stay amongst them long enough at one time to do this duty in an efficient manner. I have, &c, (Signed) J. W. Hamilton, Agent for Kaiapoi and Akaroa Land PurchaseDonald McLean Esq., Chief Commissioner. Lyttleton, January 19th, 1857. Sin,— Referring to your letter of 4th November last, and to Mr. Johnson's Memorandum therein enclosed, I have the honor to state that I purpose applying the sum of £150 which I was authorised as Sub-Treasurer (by the Colonial Secretary's letter of 31st May 1856, No. 79) to advance to Mr. Johnson to the settlement of the Kaiapoi Land question. I beg however that you will be kind enough, for the purpose of enabling me as Sub-Treasurer, to support my expenditure before the Auditor-General, by the proper authority under the last regulations, to move the General Government to issue the necessary authority to their Sub-Treasurer for this Province, with instructions as to what Departmeut on the Estimates the expenditure shall be charged against. My reason for requesting this new authority is that the Estimates passed subsequently to Mr. Hall's letter of 31st May, appears to supersede it, and more recent Treasury regulations require very explicit authorities to be supplied. • I have received from Mr. Watson a sum of £150, placed in his hands for safe custody by Mr. Johnson, for which I shall account to the Auditor General in due course. The amount was applicable to the Akaroa purchase. I have, &c, (Signed) J. W. Hamilton, Agent for purchase of Native land at Akaroa and KaiapoL Donald McLean, Esq., Chief Commissioner. Lyttleton, January 26th 1857. Sir,— It has occurred to me that some slight acknowledgement from Government is due to Paora of Rapahi, and those Chiefs, not belonging to Akaroa, whose influence alone, in my opinion, has led to the acceptance by the Akaroa Natives of the terms offered for their lands. Some £5 or £10, spent in a present such as your experience will suggest as most suitable for those Chiefs whose services Mr. Aldred may consider to have chiefly contributed to a settlement of the Akaroa question, will not I think, be badly spent. I should observe that not less than 50,000 acres have been surrendered to us for the small sum of £150, and contingent expenses amounting only to £45. I have, &c, (Signed) J. W. Hamilton. Agent for the purchase. Donald McLean, Esq. Chief Commissiones.