H.—No. 9.

Tare Wetere Tt Kahu. 9th Oct., 1872.

'« us the Crown grant for our own land ; and we said to him that it was no good, as it had bee surreptitiously obtained : our wish is to regain our land. ,_ At the time of the original sale there were further conversations about other reserves, in addition to those that I have mentioned. Colonel Wakefield managed his part of the transactions very well • he surveyed the land, and now we are being throttled by the Maoris. There were to be reserves at Taiari, Molyneux, and Kai Tangata. These are the only reserves of which lam aware. I heard the promises made about these reserves. 29. Was anything said about reserves to be made afterwards ? —I do not know. 30. If the reserves mentioned in Symond's deed, and which I have now read over to you, together with those at Port Chalmers and Otepoti were made, would you consider conditions of sale'fulfilled ? —If the reserve at Otepoti was returned to Maoris, I should think all promises made by Colonel Wakefield and Captain Symonds would be fulfilled. 31. Did you ever hear anything about reservation of one section for Maoris to every ten sections for the Europeans ?—I do not know anything about that condition. Tho alternate sections to which I referred before I understood only to refer to the Otepoti Block. 32. Was George Clarke present at the time when the conversation concerning the Otepoti Block took place ?—He was the interpreter on that occasion. , 33. Mr. McGlashan.] Do you know the acreage of the Otepoti Block ?-—No ;it was never told us.--34. When did you go to live in the Survey Office ? —I cannot tell. 35. Mr. Macandrew.] How old were you at the time of the negotiations for the land purchases ?— I do not know, but I at the time had two children. 36. How many pieces did Colonel Wakefield promise ?—He promised us two pieces. The whole block was divided into three allotments, the centre piece to be for the Europeans. Ido not know what were the exact boundaries of these pieces. Hoani Wetere Korako in attendance, and examined. 37. Mr. Sheehan.] Do you remember the negotiations carried on by Captain Symonds concerning the purchase of the land in Otago from the Natives ?—I do ; I was present at the time. 38. How old were you ?—1 was grown up. 39. Did you sign the deed?— Yes; I was one of them. 40. Were you present all the time ?—I was present at the negotiations, but not when the money was paid. 41. During the discussion of terms of sale of land, do you remember having heard any a«reements made about reserves for Natives ?—Yes, I do. ° 42. What were they?— The agreement was this : When Colonel Wakefield asked tho Natives to cede the whole of their land to him, the Maoris asked what price they were to get. Colonel Wakefield then said, " Wait until I see what sort of land it is." After this Colonel Wakefield and party went one day to Otepoti with Mr. Tuckett to examine the land. On their return to Port Chalmers, Colonel Wakefield said to us, " How much do you want for your land.?" Taiaroa Karetai and Tuhawaiki, who were acting for the Natives in the negotiations, said, '.'Give us £800,000." Colonel Wakefield refused to give us that amount. We (as above) then said, "If you don't give us that price, we will not sell it to you at all. There was a very great deal of discussion on that day. The Maoris then prooosed that the negotiations should be put an end to. Colonel Wakefield and Captain Symonds then said if that took place they would have to go away. The Natives then told them, if they wanted to go, they had better go at onco. Colonel Wakefield and Captain Symonds then talked the matter over privately, and in the evening came to the Natives and said again, " Will you not sell your land to us?" The Natives again asked what price they were to get for it, and in answer were told that they were to receive £2,400 cash, and a piece'of land at Port Chalmers, and two pieces in the town, with allotment of European land between, them. Mr. Mantell afterwards went down, but I did not see him. This is all I know, as,_ being taken ill at the time, I was obliged to go to Waikouaiti. [The Chairman here read over to witness certain part of Captain Symonds' deed of purchase, in which mention of certain reserves was made.] 43. Do you know anything of these reserves ?—No, Ido not. I did not sign the deed itself, hut signed it in Captain Symouds' pocket book, as did all the other Natives. 44. Why were names taken down thus ?—I suppose they were written for his own information. The name Korako which is on the deed is not mine, but that of old Korako. 45. Would you consider that all promises made to you by Colonel Wakefield and Captain Symonds, concerning reservation of land for Natives, had been fulfilled, if you were now to obtain the reserves at Port Chalmers and at Otepoti ?—No ; I heard that promises were made concerning hospitals and schools. 46. I am not alluding to hospitals or schools, but to the reserves ?—There are many things connected with the land sales still unfulfilled. 47. Mr. Taiaroa.] If you got reserves at Port Chalmers and at Otepoti, would you consider promises fulfilled ?—No, I should not. 48. Mr. Sheehan.] How would there, in that case, bo still unfulfilled promises ?—The reserves were the principal subject of discussion at sale of land, and now the Natives have no reserves. 49. Can you mention hearing of reserves not handed to Natives ?—The land at Molyneux, near the present reserve, does not belong to the Natives, as it ought to do. It is situated towards the north of the Molyneux, and called Kaitangata. J. Macandrew, Esq., M.H.R., in attendance, and made the following statement :— 50. As_ Superintendent of the Province of Otago, I desire to remove a misapprehension which seems to exist in the mind of Taiaroa as regards the action of the Provincial Executive in seeking to be represented by Counsel at the sitting of the Native Lands Court at Dunedin. Taiaroa appears to think that the object was to resist the claims of the Natives, whereas the object was to watch the proceedings on behalf of the Province. .

Hoani Wetere KoraJco. 9th Oct., 1872.

Mr. Macandrew. 9th Oct., 1872.

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