E—No. 3g

6

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE

In proof that his teaching was not without its fruits, I may also refer to another letter which he addressed to me in reference to land for a school at Waerengahika. " You are aware of the extreme " jealousy entertained by soma of the Natives in reference to their lands not having , any foundation in " fact, but not the less real in their estimation. There is less of this feeling where the Natives have sold " land to the Government as at Ahuriri, but they have had all soris of ideas, supposing that the " Government was going to take forcible possession of their lands. It was simply this feeling which " excited John Heke to his hostile movements. I know not from what sources these ideas have sprung, " but I have had from time to time to contend against thorn, particularly on Mr. Wavdell's arrival here. "If, then, I were now to ask them for a new Deed, as proposed, they would one and all accuse me of ' ; having deceived them," In connection with this subject;, I would recall His Lordship's recollection to a letter which he addressed to me referring to the advantages of the present system of acquiring land for promoting systematic colonization, and stating his conviction that the large and valuable tracts purchased by me at Ahuriii could never have been satisfactorily acquired if the Native Territorial Rights Bill, brought forward in the Session of 1858, had been in operation. I may state that the present Governor has given more stringent instructions in reference to the careful conduct of land purchases than any of his predecessors, and so far from the Natives being handed over to the tender mercies of the Land Purchase Department, they invariably had free access either by writing or otherwise to His Excellency, when they had any grievanca to state. Numerous instances might be cited where the Governor and the Land Purchase Officers have refused to entertain offers of valuable tracts of country from an apprehension that their acquisition might lead to difficulties and disputes, or be otherwise prejudicial to the interests of the Natives. This has been done to the extent of creating ill-feeling towards the Government in the minds of the Natives offering their land. I shall now advert to the purchases in the order in which they are referred to in the Bishop's letter. First, Omarutairi : This block of land was acquired from the acknowledged owners, after several discussions hid been held on the subject at Te Aute and elsewhere. A section of the Natives living near the land had become members of the Anti-land-selling League, and they opposed the sale. In this course, they were aided by delegates from Waikato, and while they fully admitted Heneipaketia's right to dispose of the land, they pleaded, as their reason for not joining in the sale, that they had resolved to combine against all sales to the Government. In treating with this case, I was compelled either to admit the right of the Anti-land-selling League from Waikato, or pay the owners of the soil for what they had an undoubted right to dispose of. The sale was afterwards ratified by a large portion of the Ngaitahu tribe at Wairaraua, to which tribe the opposing Natives belonged. The deed for this purchase was signed not by two, but by four-persons, whose signatures are attached to the deed, and witnessed by the principal Chief of the district and others, as well as by Mr. Cooper, so- the money could not, as represented, have been paid secretly. Second, Ngapairuru : This is a block of land in the Poranagahau district, which was under offer to the Government for several years. It has been in the occupation of two stock holders, and it was most desirable that it should be purchased. Kuru, one of the most influential young chiefs at Pora* ngahau, and another Native, Wi Matua, represented as one of the principal claimants, paid me a visit at Ahuriri, and informed me that they and their tribe were prepared to dispose of the land, and asked for an advance on account of it. I hesitated about making , the required advance until I could gather further information as to their power to act for the tribe. I asked Karaitiana, who was then at Napier, if I should be safe in making the advance. His reply was, to give part of the money and settle the question afterwards with the tribe. After waiting several days for Paora, another P"oranga>hau chief, [ arranged with the Natives to take a part of the purchase money, £300, on to Porangahau, there to await my arrival, when I should apportion it among the claimants : I expected to pay a further sum of £400 for the block. In the meantime, the Waikato delegates and those who joined them, started to Porangahau and took the money from the Natives, using every means in their power, first by persuasion, and when that failed, by threats, to prevent the owners from completing the transaction. Acted upon by these influences, some few of the claimants declined to proceed with the negotiation. The King party offered to return to me the money advanced, which I declined, telling them that I could not recognize their pretensions to interfere, and would only deal with the real owners. I deny that this land has been purchased from two individuals, or that it has been purchased at all. The transaction has yet to be completed. The parties named certainly signed a deed ceding their claims, but beyond this, nothing further has been done in the mattsr. I trust the Bishop, when he next conceives himself called upon to criticise the proceedings of the Government in reference to matters unconnected with his duties, will support his assertions by something better than mere hearsay evidence derived from the members of Anti-land-selling Leagues or their sympathisers. Donald McLean,

Enclosure in No. 2* Turanga, January 18, 1854. My friend, Te Matenga,— I salute you. Here is Te Rongowhakaata (a tribe residing at Turanga), about to go to see you, to talk over matters relating to this world. Friend, the report of your intention to sell land has