E.-No. 2

In reply I beg to observe, 1. Almost the whole of the Laud in question is in dispute between the Ngatiraukawa and Eangitane on one side, and the Ngatiapa on the other. The disputants on either side decline to recognise, except to a very limited extent, the right of their opponents to deal with the land, or to ■eater into any arrangement respecting it. I have formed my own opinions of the respective value of these conflicting claims, but in the negotiations which formed the subject of my report, I carefully refrained from saying anything that could bear the construction of prejudging the case. For this reason I pledged the three tribes separately, irrespective of the dispute as to Title. 2. All who have signed the several agreements, claim, and I believe possess, an interest in the disputed land. 3. All who have signed are not chiefs, nor are they all leading men, but, so far as I amaware the signatures include all the principal claimants immediately concerned. 4. There is a small section of the Otaki Ngatiraukawas, some of whom are Mngites, claiming an interest in the disputed land. "When a collision was imminent, these Natives, headed by Eota went armed to Eangitikei and joined Ihakara. They have taken no part, however, in the matter of the leases, and are not among the claimants for rent. I did not therefore deem it necessary to obtain their concurrence in the agreement respecting the non-molestations of the settlers' stock. I am forwarding to His Honor the Superintendent by the Overland Mail, a supplementary Eeport covering a Letter from the Oroua people, and I do myself the honor to forward herewith a copy hereof for your information. I have, &c, Walter Bulleb, E.M., The Hon. the Native Minister. District Magistrate. Enclosure 1 in No. 6. Eesident Magistrate's Office, Sic,— Whanganui, July 12, 1865. Adverting to my Eeport dated June 22nd on the subject of the Eangitikei Land Dispute, and to the enclosures accompanping it. I have now the honor to furnish as supplementary thereto ■a letter from Topa te AVhata and other Oroua natives together with a translation. I did not consider it necessary to enter into any negotiations with the Oroua claimants ; but before leaving the Upper Manawatu I wrote them a letter detailing the steps I had taken and explaining the nature of the arrangement I had made with the three tribes principally concerned in the dispute. The accompanying letter which I have since received, expresses full concurrence in the terms ■of that arrangement. I have, &c, AYalteb Bulleb, E.M., His Honor the Superintendent, District Magistrate. AVellington. * Enclosure 2 in Ivo. 6. Awahurio, "Wahi Oroua, Xi a te Pura, — Hurae 1, 1865. E hoa, tena koe. Kua whakaae matou Ida waiho pai nga kau nga hipi a nga Pakeha i runga ano i nga Whenua reti, kia kaua he whakararuraru mo nga reti c noho ana ki Eangitikei, nei puta noa ki Manawatu, ki Oroua. Kua whakaae ano hoki matou kia waiho ki ate Petetone te ritenga. Ko tenei, ka ahu tonu ta matou mahi ki a ia. Heoi ano, Na Tapa te Whata Te Koeo te One Eei^pena te One, x Epiha te Moanakino Tamihana AYhaeeahaha Mtjkakai Te Hoeo, x Ateeea te Toko, jc Haeatieea Ttbanga, x Tipene, x Ko nga tangdta i tuhia mai nei c koe, kei te Hauhau katoa.

11

RANGITIKEI LAND DISPUTE.