MIDDLE ISLAND NATIVE AFEAIRS.

9

H.—No. 9.

It was I and some other chiefs that went to Port Jackson (Sydney), and arranged a covenant there, in which we placed the whole of the Island of New Zealand under the sovereignty of the Queen, and the covenant was drawn up there, and the Governor of that Colony gave a token of honor, also the Queen's flag to me, and to Tuhawaiki. The Governor also gave us all authority (mand), and to us was the authority over the wdiole of our Island, Te Wai Ponamu. The Queen was also to be our parent, (protector), that no other of Her Majesty's subjects, or any foreign nation should interfere, or take, or sell, or otherwise dispose of our land, without our consent given to any other nation. We agreed to these arrangements of the Governor of New South "Wales, and that covenant was established. After that was the Treaty of Waitangi,< and I and my tribe agreed a second time. Secondly. After that land purchase commenced in this Island, the first land we sold was Otago ; it was sold to Colonel Wakefield. We pointed out all the boundaries, and all stipulations were mentioned to Colonel Wakefield, as follows :—We said the first payment for this land would be £100,000. Colonel Wakefield said, " That is too much, £2,400 will be ample, and that is all the cash consideration; it had better be arranged in this manner, viz., that one acre in every ten shall be reserved for you." We agreed to this, and said, "Tou can have the land according to these terms." We do not know whether these words were written down or not, hut all the people present heard these words. These are the places about which we spoke, and stated that we desired to retain —Otakori, Taiari, Maranuku, Te Karoro, and other places. Thirdly. After that was Mr. Kemp's deed of purchase with Ngaitahu, on the 12th of June, 1848. We asked a large price of Mr. Kemp, to which he did not agree. Mr. Kemp said to us that we should give up all the land, and that he would take charge of it; this £2,000 was an advance on the land. Mr. Kemp said after that Government would make payment and return some land to us. We said to Mr. Kemp, " What about our settlements, cultivations, sacred places, fishing grounds, and so forth ?" Mr. Kemp's answer was, " The Government will agree to all those requests; your cultivations will not be taken from you." Besides which, there were many statements made by the land purchasers. Mr. Kemp also said to us, "If you do not agree to give up your land, soldiers will be sent to take possession of it," and on that we gave our final consent to the sale; and on account of all these words we concluded that sale; and it was left for the Government to protect the Natives of this island. But there were other words referring to schools, hospitals, and other words on account of which the land was given. . After that came Mr. Mantell, whose words were to the same effect. He also asked us for land; we asked him a large price. Mr. Mantell said " No, but let the land be given according to my price, and let the Government fulfil all these w Tords and other words which have been spoken to you." But you (my children) bear in mind all these words, and see that they are all carried out. Erom your loving parent, M. Taiaroa. x

Son. Mr.Mantell.

27th Sept., 1872.

Tuesday, Ist October, 1872. Mr. Reynolds, M.H.R., in attendance, and examined. 14. I know the Princes Street Reserve in Dunedin, and also that it is invested in tho City and Corporation of Dunedin. Mr. Sheehan.] —In your opinion is that reserve granted in terms of the original reservation of land ? —It is, and my opinion is supported by the New Zealand Company's Act, which, in its 30th section, authorizes " the Directors, by writing under their hand, to appoint the Secretary to be the agent of the Company, to enter into, and if requisite, to sign ali such contracts as are hereinbefore authorized to be entered into by the Directors on behalf of the Company, and thereupon such contracts so entered into by the Secretary shall bo binding on the Company and their successors, and all other parties thereto, their heirs, executors, or administrators, as the case may be." I will also call the attention of the Committee to tho New Zealand Company Settlement Act, section 10, tho latter part of which provides that " All acts done in pursuance of any such several powers by the party or parties for the time being intrusted with the execution thereof, shall be binding on Her Majesty, her successors, and assigns." Again, the New Zealand Constitution Act provides, in section 1, " That all laws and ordinances made, and acts done, under and in pursuance of the said recited Acts, and any charters, letters patent, instructions, or Orders in Council, issued in pursuance thereof, shall continue as lawful, valid, and effectual, as if this Act had not been passed." Section 78 of the same Act grants " power to Her Majesty to regulate the disposal of Waste Lands in Otago." The reserve in Princes Street, Dunedin, was reserved on 20th October, 1846, by instructions of J. C. Harrington, Secretary of New Zealand Company, which fact he mentions in his letter of that date on water frontages, &c. The Committee, by referring to tho Appendix of the House of Representatives for the year 1865, E. No. 2, together with the evidence attached, will be able to gather any information which they may require. When I moved the following notice in tho House of Representatives, on Ist August, 1865—" That a Select Committee be appointed to examine into the claims of tho Provincial Government of Otago to the reserve in Princes Street, Dunedin (Block 8), also to the reserve in Port Chalmers, adjoining Section No. 401, with power to call for persons, maps, and papers, and to report from time to time. Committee to consist of Mr. R. Graham, Mr. W. Taylor, Mr. A. J. Richmond, Dr. Featherston, Mr. Wilkin, and Mr. Reynolds." "August Bth, Ordered, That name of Mr. Stafford be added to Committee"— Mr. Sewell, who was at that time Attorney-General, informed me that the Government objected to the appointment of the Committee, and would only agree to it on condition of their being allowed to nominate the members to compose it. As I was perfectly convinced that any unprejudiced Committee which might be appointed, no matter by whom, would decide in favour of the Province or City, I at once agreed to the proposal, and Mr. Sewell selected the Committee appointed on Ist August, 1865. 3

Mr. Reynolds.

Ist Oct., 1872.