I\—No. 4

46

ItEPORT FROM THE COMMISSIONER

The refusal of the Natives to vacate the pas and cultivations led to a compromise ; certain of the reserves were conveyed to the Natives respectively, and other lands, to the extent of about 12,205 acres in the Town and Town Bolt of Wellington aud the rural districts, made over to them in perpetuity. In addition to these the Government purchased several sections of rural land, and handed them over to the Natives for their sole use and benefit. It thus appears that the Natives received, outside the scheme of the "tenths" as much as 12,509 acres of suburban and rural land. Under these circumstances the morality of the appropriation of certain of the reserves for charitable trusts in which the Natives would fully participate cannot, I think, be reasonably impugned. But it is difficult or impossible to cause the Natives to understand that their own act was the occasion of the scheme of reserves being altersd. "We never goc any of the additional land awarded by Col. McCleverty"—some of them will argue—"others received that land, give us, as you promised, the rents of the reserves at Thorndon and Te Aro." To very many of the Natives this claim appears just, and in places far beyond the limits of the Wellington Province the misapplication of the reserves has for several years been the subject of discussion and censure. It may be wise, therefore, for the Government to make a concession—at the present time it could not be considered a sign of weakness. I would respectfully recommend — Ist. That payment of rent—the amount to be settled by arbitration—should be made by the Government for tiie reserves used for the Native office and Government stable 3, and for the site of the barracks at Te Aro. 2nd. And in consideration of the site and endowment 1-md of the civil hospital being original Native reserves, to make provision to secure to the Natives free admission to, and medical assistance at that institution. If this proposition, ox a reasonable modification of it be not agreed to by the Natives, the only course open that I could recommend would be to suffer an appeal from them to the Supreme Court. * The schedules for the Province of Wellington give the following areas, viz. :— A. R. P. Class A. I—Charitable and Religious Reserves .. ... 2,101 3 25 Class A. I—With a Specified Purpose ... ... ... 8,661 3 33 Class A. I—Reserves under Native Lands Acts ... ... 1,110 0 0 Class B. I—McCJeverty's Awards ... ... ... 18,153 0 23 Class B. 2—General Reserves ... ... ... 37,435 2 8 Class C. I—Grants with Limitations ... .. ... 105,904 225 Total ... 173,366 334 By " A Return giving the names of the tribes in the North Island," presented to General Assembly, 1870, the following appears to be the approximate Native population of the Province of Wellington: — Otaki District ... ... ... ... ... ... 740 Wairararapa District ... ... ... ... ... 850 Rangitikei and Manawata Districts ... ... ... ... 1091 Whanganui and Upper Whanganui ... ... ... ... 2641 Total souls ... 5322 This shows a present reservation of 31J aci'es, on the average, per head, for the Native population of the Province of Wellington, independent of purely Native territory. There have been made the following maps and tracings of Native reserves since the date of the last report:— Lithographs. Maps. Tracings. Auckland ... ... 15 ... 19 ... HI Wellington ... ... 2 ... 15 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... 4 17 ... 33 ... 141—196 The account of receipts and expenditure of the Auckland Native Reserve Trust is made from 15th July, 1871, as on that day the first monies were received by the Trustee. C. Heapht. sth May, 1871. * An appeal to the Supreme Court has been for some time threatened by the Natires, wbo have paid, t am informed, £50 to a solicitor at Wellington for a legal opinion to guide them.