A.—No. 17.

10

REPORT BY MR. MACKAY RELATIVE TO

Enclosure Ma.

Enolosure Mb.

Enclosure Me.

Enclosure Md,

Enclosure X

Enclosure O,

No. of Letter 371-2.

the question of a bonus Lad been raised, I thought it expedient to agree to pay a sum of £500 under that head, and to advance a further amount of £1,000, repayable from the miners' rights fees received for that gold field when proclaimed. The old chief Taraia Ngakuti caused a special letter to be written to His Excellency the Governor, in which he handed over his lands for gold mining, as he did not like to sign an agreement only, like any common Native. He, however, in the end, attached his mark to both. At the same time I received from Mr. John Thorpe, of Opukeko, a letter from To Wauo Toiwhare, a very near relative of Te Hira, and one of the principal owners of land at Ohinemuri, in which he expressed his intention of handing over to me his auriferous lands. On the 23rd December the same man wrote me a letter in which he asked me to pay him £100 for one hundred kauri trees growing on his land at Waitekauri, Ohinemuri. He -did not sign the agreement with the other Natives, for fear of his brother Hauhaus. It was however reported to them that he and some others of Te Hira's nearest relations had signed the agreement, and their rage and vexation were almost ludicrous to behold. A number of miners were encamped at Mr. J. Thorpe's farm, at Opukeko, anxiously awaiting tidings of the opening of the Ohinemuri District. I requested them either to remain quietly there, or to leave the place. They consented to go, but failed to perform their promise. They however behaved themselves very well while there, with the exception of the proceedings of a few individuals, which will hereinafter come under notice. On the 2Sth December intelligence was brought to Shortland that the Hauhaus had been informed it was the intention of the miners to rush Ohinemuri from Pa Puriri and Hikutaia, and that Tukukino and an armed party were out awaiting their arrival. I therefore went to Ohinemuri on the 29th December, and took steps to allay any bad feeling which existed in the minds of the Natives. Mere Kuuru, sister of Te Hira, honoured me with a visit on this occasion : she was friendly in manner, but exceedingly obstinate about everything appertaining to Ohinemuri. I heard that some badly disposed persons had been tampering politically with the Natives. I returned to Shortland on the 30th December, IS6S. Early in January I visited Te Moananui's settlement, and others inhabited by friendly Natives on both shores of the Hauraki Gulf, with a view to inducing the whole of the loyal party to assist in arranging the Ohinemuri question. After this I proceeded to Waikato to pay compensation awards. During my stay in that district some of the Ngatihana, chiefs signed a preliminary agreement on the 9th January, 1869, to permit mining for gold on their lands at Te A.roha Mountain, and I paid them a deposit on account of miners' rights fees to bind the bargain. At this time a case was pending in the Native Lands : ,Court between the Ngatihana and Ngatimaru aboub this land; and although not anticipating that the decision would be altogether in favour of the former, it was supposed they would be found entitled to a certain interest in it, and as private persons were about to negotiate for the land, it was deemed expedient, to attempt to secure it for the public. On the 4th February, 1869, a large number of the friendly Natives of the Hauraki District assembled at Kopu, near the mouth of the Thames; the chief Te Moanauui, and several of the Ngatitamatera and Ngatimaru, having preceded them to Ohinemuri. We proceeded up the river that day. The meeting commenced on the sth, and lasted throughout that day, and the 6th, Bth, and 9th days of February. It was found quite impossible to shake the determination of the Hauhaus to keep the country shut against the enterprise of the gold miner. Everything that could be done in the way of persuasion aud argument was used by myself and my supporters, but without altering the position of affairs very much. On the 9th four more Natives signed an agreement for leasing their lands at Waitekauri for gold mining. In consequence of information received from reliable sources that some persons had been tampering with and making treasonable overtures to the Hauhaus, I deemed it advisable to proceed to Mr. Thorpe's farm on the 7th February, and suggest to a number of miners who were assembled there the desirability of removing from the district. To the credit of these men my request was almost unanimously assented to; the only difficulty was to provide them with the means of conveyance back to Shortland. The p.s. "Clyde" was then under charter for conveying myself and Natives, and I arranged for the miners to be removed in that vessel. By the 12th February nearly all these men had left the district, but information was given that some persons had determined to remain out on the hills prospecting for gold in despite of my orders to the contrary. I therefore swore in thirty-five friendly Natives as armed special constables, who accompanied me on the 12th, 13th, and 14th, in search of the parties alluded to. The result was that all Europeans, excepting the actual settlers and their servants, were compelled to leave the district, and on the 15th I and the few friendly Natives who had remained after the breaking up of the meeting returned to Shortland. I next visited Ohinemuri on the 18th March, in consequence of Te Hira having ordered " the old settlers to leave the district." Mere Kuuru came to me and said that "Te Hira had done this fearing Te Kooti might kill them, and he (Te Hira) might be blamed for it when innocent." She further added that " I was leaving the Europeans there as a bait for Te Hira." I denied the latter statement, and as to "Te Kooti being likely to kill the Pakehas, Te Hira would be sure to receive notice of his approach, and would have sufficient time to warn the European settlers." She then agreed not to interfere with them. I returned to Shortland next day. On the 25th March I went to Coromandel to attend the sitting of the Native Land Court, advertised to be held there on the 29th. The case about the Aroha Block, between the Ngatihana and Ngatimaru had been adjourned to there for the delivery of judgment. On the 30th the Court gave its decision, which was in favour of the Ngatihana claimants. For some time great excitement and much anger was shown by the Ngatimaru, Ngatipaoa, and Ngatitamatera, who were assembled there in considerable numbers. I however, at last, got them to be a little more reasonable by suggesting that they should apply for a rehearing of the case. This they agreed to do, and a letter was written and signed at once, and forwarded to the Government. I reached Shortland again on the night of the Ist April. Having received instructions from the Hon. Mr. Eichmond to endeavour to procure from the Natives the cession for mining purposes of tidal flats near Shortland, I on several occasions spoke to Eapana Maunganoa and other Natives