AFFAIRS AT TAURANGA.

A.—No. 20.

11

Enclosure 1 in No. 10. Eeport on Te Taweea and Ngaiterangi Claims to Land in the District of Tauranga. On the 7th December, 1864, a petition was forwarded to the House of Eepresentatives by certain Natives.of the Tawera tribe claiming lands at Tauranga, which they alleged had been ■wrongfully sold to the Government, by the Ngaiterangi. Messrs. J. Mackay, jun., and Henry T. Clarke, were requested by the Hon. F. Weld to investigate the title of the Tawera to lands in the Tauranga District, and report on the same to him. The investigation occupied four days. The spokesmen on the part of Tawera were —Te Pamini and Wiremu Te Whareirc. Those on the part of Ngaiterangi were — Hohepa Hikutaia, Hamiora Tv, and Eruera Tamapahore. Many other Natives of botli tribes were present. Facts elicited. 1. Te Tawera claims that block of land commencing at Te Puna, in the Tauranga Harbour, thence to Wairere, thence running in a southerly direction to Purohenua, thence -in an easterly direction to the source of the Waimapu, following down that stream to its mouth, thence along the sea side to the starting point, Te Puna. 2. That Eanginui and Waitaha were the original owners of the Tauranga District—That the Tawera is descended from Waitaha. This the Ngaiteraugi admit. 3. That the Ngaiterangi came from Hakuranui- (near Tuinapahore) and fought with the various hapus of Eangiuui and Waitaha, and finally located themselves at Tauranga, where they remain to this day. 4. The Ngaiterangi claim solely by right of conquest. 5. That the Ngaiterangi and To Tawera frequently fought against each other, and finally the Ngaiterangi, Ngatihe, and Ngatihoke tribes united, and. drove the Tawera from Tauranga —the two last mentioned hapus being descended from Waitaha and closely related to Te Tawera. This occurred about seventy years ago (Te Eonorehua, now a very old man, being then a little boy). 6. That immediately after the expulsion of Te Tawera, the Ngaiterangi, Ngatihe, and Ngatihoke, divided the land amongst them. 7. That the year 1855 a dispute arose between Ngatihe (Maihi Policpohe) and Ngaiterangi (Eawiri Puhiraki) about an " eel pa," which resulted in a war (1857). On this occasion the Ngatihe and Ngatihoke invited the Tawera to return to Tauranga, and reinstated them on a small portion of their original claims. Recommended. That the Tawera can only fairly claim those portions of land of which they have retained possession, or which have been returned to them by their former conquerors. James Mackay, Jun. Henby T. Clarke. Enclosiire 2 in No. 10. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. F. A. Weld to Mr. Mackay. Colonial Secretary's Office, (Native Department,) Sir, — Auckland, 13th December, 1864. I have the honor to inform you that the chief Kou o Eehua and eight other Natives of the tribe Tawera have forwarded a petition to the House of Eepresentatives claiming lands at Tauranga, which they allege have been wrongfully sold to the Government by the Ngaiterangi. I have, therefore, the honor to request that you will, in conjunction with Mr. H. T. Clarke, investigate the title of the Tawera tribe to lands in the District of Tauranga, and report on the same to me. I have, &c, James Mackay, Esq., Civil Commissioner, llauraki. Frederick A. Weld.

Enclosure 3 in No. 10. [translation.] Copy of a Letter from Te Kou o Eehua and others to the Government. sth December, 1884. To the Bunanga of the Chiefs of the Europeans of the Island of New Zealand, — Friends, salutations to you all, in the love of our Heavenly Father —salutations. This is our word for you to consider. Show your regard to us by returning to us our land which has been taken by the hand of Ngaiterangi, together with the Governor. This land which has been taken is Tauranga and Katikati. What we mean by returning to us our land is, that you should investigate it. Now, do you hearken while we show the commencement of the boundary of Katikati, commencing at Amaru Te Waihi to Katikati, to Kauri, to Matahui, to Te Hauha, to Omakoroa, to Te Puna, to Hohainga, to Tuaropaki, to Waikareao up to Te Papa, coming out at the large stream (Waimapu); one part of Te Papa to be left for (Archdeacon) Brown, one part I still claim. The piece of land for ■which lam obstinate ends here. Enough. Te Kou o Eehua, Patene, Te Whatara, Wirenu, To Euruku, Maihi, Paroto, Hori. Te Wharau, From all the tribe descended from Waitaha and Eanginui—nine signatures.