G—7

45

The Six Grantees nr Accouxt with Puechasebs of Heeetatjnga—23eb Maech, 1870. Dr. Cr. To orders and accounts deducted, £ *• d- By shares of purchase- £ s. d. £ t. d. on account: —■ money as settled at 1. Noa 1,012 12 8 Pakowhai, Gth De--2,3. Pararaenaand Pahoro . . 94110 8 ceraber, 1869 :— 4. Manaena . . . 799 0 0 1. Noa . . . 1,000 0 0 5. Henare .... 3,084 11 11 2,3. Paramenaand Pa6. Karaitiana . . . . 407 8 0 horo . . 1,000 0 0 4. Manaena . . 1,000 0 0 £6,245 3 3 5. Heuare . . 2,000 0 0 Supposed Cr. balance paid in cash to 6. Karaitiana . . 2,000 0 0 Karaitiana 2,387 7 3 — 7,000 0 0 Supposed Cr. balance 2,387 7 3 True „ „ 754 16 9 Drs. to error . . 1,632 10 6 £8,632 10 6 £8,632 10 6

.No objection was openly made to Karaitiana's appropriation of the entire cash balance. But immediately afterwards Paramena went out, and complained to Mr. Sutton about the division of the money. Paramena and Pahoro being in Sutton's debt, he immediately took up their case. Within tea minutes of the complaint made, not Karaitiana, but Mr. Tanner, received a notice from Sutton demanding an additional payment on account of Paramena and Pahoro. The claim was for £1,750, less the orders paid on their behalf. It was at first disputed by the purchasers, but ultimately compromised by an additional payment of £700. Mr. Tanner had been in the habit of paying bills for and making cash advances to the principal owners of Heretaunga, and amongst the accounts deducted on the completion of the purchase were the following balances due to him :— £ *. d. On account-current with Manaena 142 4 6 „ „ Henare 781 4 0 „ „ Karaitiana 307 8 0 Mr. Tanner kept no regular cash-book, and was unable to support these accounts by a complete set of vouchers. But they were never disputed, and Mr. Tanner swore that they were examined in detail, and approved of by the parties accountable. Manaena (always the most candid of the native witnesses) distinctly admitted that his account had been gone into. Karaitiana would not deny the fact. Henare's replies were more doubtful on the point. But he admitted many items. On the whole I see no reason to doubt the substantial accuracy of the accounts. The payments to storekeepers were all properly vouched, by orders drawn by the natives interested upon the purchasers. [See Appendix.'] The promise of annuities to Henare, Karaitiana, and Manaena, was kept secret from the other grantees. After Karaitiana had taken possession of the cheque for the balance of purchase-money, he and Henare retired with Mr. Tanner, Mr. James Williams, and Mr. Martyn Hamlin, into an adjoining room, where they had some private discussion on matters connected with the sale. Henare seems to have been the mover of this private conference ; his purpose being to obtain from Karaitiana, through the influence of the Europeans, some further assistance for the discharge of his debts. It does not appear that the annuities were mentioned on this occasion. There was another matter, relating to the Karamu Reserve of I,GOI acres, on which, Karaitiana and Henare seem to have desired to make a private arrangement. They were anxious to exclude Tareha's people, Eenata's (represented in the grant by Noa) Parameua, Pahoro, and Arihi, from any share in the reserve. This was one subject mentioned at the private conference. Arihi's trustees had objected to the conveyance of the reserve to Karaitiana and Heuare, and it was necessary to make some new arrangement. Ultimately, other trustees were named, to whom the reserve was duly conveyed. It has been sub-divided, and is now in possession of the natives. We heard a great deal of evidence about it, but could discover no intelligible grievance. The promised annuities seem to have been hitherto duly paid to Karaitiana, Henare, and Manaena. After making the first year's payments, amounting together to £300, Government annuities for the remaining nine years were purchased at a cost of £2,134 —making altogether £2,431 disbursed on account of the annuities. One of the grantees, Matiaha, being dead, £1,000 was retained for his share as had been arranged at Pakowhai. So soon as the Native Lands Court had appointed a successor, Eata te Houi and this man had signed a conveyance, the £1,000 was paid. Karaitiana was present. He picked up the cheque, and told Eata that he would keep half, and give Eata half. " The man," said Mr. Martyn Hamlin, " seemed quite happy and contented over it." The subjoined account shows, as nearly as we were able to ascertain it, the total amount paid to natives for the block. The account compares the payments to each with the sums allotted, or estimated, at the time of the contract for sale of Bth December, ISG9. The duty payable to Government and the expense of interpreters are also included as charges virtually falling on the vendors:— 4—G. 7.