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they might be advised to take, for the purpose of resisting the adjudication of 25th September. Other letters from Natives, to the same effect, were also received by the Government; and on the 15th November, Mr. Knocks (an officer of the Resident Magistrate's Court) wrote that there were reports of " the intention of some of the Ngatiraukawa, who were dissatisfied with the " judgment of the Court, to obstruct the survey, and that they had threatened to break the " surveyor's chains and instruments;" but that it was not considered by the leading chiefs to be a " determined opposition." Mr. Fox directed a careful letter to be written to the Natives, reasoning with them, pointing out that the Native Land Court had been for nearly fifty days occupied in hearing the claims of the dissentients, and declaring that the Government would maintain the final judgment which the Court had delivered. The surveyor left the Oroua, where the survey had been begun, and went to another of the reserves. The view taken by the Superintendent of the state of affairs was indicated in his speech on opening the Session of the Provincial Council, on the 22nd November., " I regret," said Dr. Featherston, " to inform you that the same parties by whose unprincipled opposition the settle- " ment of this question has been so long delayed and the peace of the province so repeatedly " jeopardized, are still persisting in their attempts to excite the Natives to prevent the survey of " the land. A special messenger arrived a few hours ago with a letter from Mr. Stewart, stating " that on arriving in the Oroua he had been told by the Natives not to proceed with the survey. " Until these parties find themselves liable to the pains and penalties of the Disturbed Districts " Act, as I trust they shortly will, it is hopeless to expect them to cease from their vile " intrigues. But until I receive advices from Mr. Buller, I am not inclined to attach much " importance to Mr. Stewart's information." The expected advices did not, apparently, reach Dr. Featherston before he sailed for England. A telegram of the 27th November, from Mr. Buller, reported the state of affairs as follows :—" Mr. Fox has just started for Ranana ; the " Sturt" will take him as far as Raorikia, " and thence by canoe to Ranana, where he will arrive to-morrow. I was sorry I could not " accompany him; but it is of more importance that I should be at Rangitikei. lam going " out there again immediately with Ratana. Stewart [the surveyor] ought not to have left " Oroua : it amounted to an admission that he was afraid. He should have held his ground and " sent for assistance before commencing work. Carkeek [another surveyor] wanted to remain: "he says that Peeti and Kerei were drunk the whole of the time. Topa was not opposed to the " survey, but was anxious for Stewart to commence on the Rangitikei side, in order to give time " for a reply to the Ngatikauwhata petition asking for a fresh trial. Topa's wife was very " clamorous to have her reserve marked off at once: Hoeta supported her. But I think we do " well to commence on the Ngatiapa reserves, and work steadily on. The opposition was of the " most good-humoured kind. Miritana, the ex-constable, was the most troublesome, and we " threatened, if he did not desist, to bind him hand and foot. I intend to remain in the district " till all the surveys are completed, if necessary. I have taken the precaution to get written " instructions from the Premier; and this duty will therefore take precedence of everything " else. Mr. Fox has given me a letter to the Oroua people, telling them distinctly that no fresh " trial will be allowed by the Government." Immediately afterwards, further indications of intended resistance appeared. Mr. Knocks reported on the 29th November, that though the Natives continued quietly disposed, they seemed " rather disturbed concerning the late opposition shown by part of the Ngatiraukawa and " Rangitane Tribes to the survey of the block; that the reason for opposing the survey was, " that Tapa Te Whata and Peeti Te Aweawe were dissatisfied with the number of acres awarded, " and with the reserves for them and their people ; and that Parakaia Te Pouepa supported the " opposition, because he had not received the back rent for the Himatangi" [part of the block]. The Government referred the matter to the Attorney-General, who again examined the grounds on which the claims were made by the dissentients, and clearly pointed out that the question of the reserves was not yet settled. He reviewed Parakaia's position under an award in his favour by the Court, and while showing that he was not entitled to back rents, said it was a question whether it would not be politic now to give him the land that had been awarded to him, notwithstanding his refusal to accept it. " I believe," he added (Dec. 7,1869), "that other " reserves are to be made as soon as the land is surveyed; possibly, if this were understood, the " Natives might be satisfied. The lands that have been excepted out of the proclamation of " extinguishment of Native title, are not properly called reserves; they are a proportionate part "of the land, representing the shares belonging to non-sellers. Reserves for the benefit of the " Natives have yet to be made ; they cannot be made before survey." In the meantime the opposition to the survey had been brought to a head. The events are best described in the following minute by Mr. Fox, on the Bth December : — " The attempt to survey the 4,500-acre block awarded by the Court at Oroua having been " opposed, the surveyors left it and went to survey Pakapakatea for Hunia Te Hakeke, one of " the reserves made by the Land Purchase Commissioner. Hunia demanded 10,000 acres, '' having previously agreed to 1,000. The surveyors thereupon went to survey Kahau (500 " acres) for the Ngatiapa Tribe, another of the reserves made by the Commissioner. The survey " was proceeding, when Miritana and other Natives destroyed the trig, station. Miritana was " arrested, and two other Natives voluntarily answered to a summons. He was convicted in a " penalty of £25 on the Bth December, before Mr. Buller (Resident Magistrate) and two " Justices, and in default committed for three months without hard labour. The other two