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1575. NEW ZEALAND.
TAIRUA NATIVE RESERVE. (CORRESPONDENCE RELATING THERETO).
Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by Command of Sis Excellency.
No. 1. His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland, to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sik, — Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 18th June, 1875. I have the honor to enclose an abstract, prepared by the Waste Lands Commissioner, showing the manner in which an area of a thousand acres (as yet unselected) was reserved for Natives in the Tairua Block. You will find from this abstract that this block appears to have been purchased from the Natives on the 7th December, 1872, without any such reservation for them having been made, and that it was handed over to this Province on the 24th June, 1874, free from such reservation of a thousand acres. I beg, therefore, that an explanation may be afforded as to the time when the reservation was made, and by whose authority, and whether the Natives have since attempted to sell or lease this land, or any part of it, to any other person, and if so, to whom. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. G. Grey.
Enclosure in No. 1. Mr. Tole, Waste Lands Commissioner, to His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. (Memo, for His Honor the Superintendent.) Waste Lands Office, 4th May, 1875. The following abstract of title shows the manner in which the area of one thousand acres (as yet unselected) claimed by Natives, in the Tairua Block, was reserved for them : — Crown granted to Natives 10th June, 1874, but legal title vested in them from 29th November, 1872. Conveyed by Natives to the Queen on the 7th December, 1872, without any reservation expressed in the body of the deed. Proclaimed waste lands of the Crown, and made subject to Provincial administration on the 24th June, 1874. No reservation contained in the proclamation, which in this respect corresponds with deed. Conveyance above alluded to, from Natives to the Queen, registered 15th July, 1874. Upon this instrument an endorsement, bearing no date, appears reserving one thousand acres (position undefined) for the grantees. Proclaimed within the limits of the Hauraki Gold Mining District on the Bth April, 1875. In this proclamation the exception of one thousand acres is made. D. A. Tole, . Waste Lands Commissioner. Note.—The terms of the indorsement, which would appear to be in the hand-writing of Mr. Mackay, and different from that in the body of the deed, are as follows :— " It is hereby agreed that the Governor of New Zealand shall cause to be issued to Miriama Pihi Pukukauri, Peneamene Tanui, Hori Kerei Tuokioki, Matene Pehi, and Marara Hauata, a Crown Grant for one thousand (1000) acres of the land conveyed to the Queen by the within-written deed, such land to be selected within three months from the date hereof, and to be taken in eitker one or two blocks, at the option of the said Miriama Pehi Pukukauri. Expenses of survey to be borne by the Crown. " James Mackay, junr., " Agent for Land Purchases, Immigration and Public Works Act. " Witness to the signature of James Mackay, junr., " Jno. Guilding, Licensed Interpreter, Shortland."
No, 2. His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland, to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. (Telegram.) Auckland, 2nd July, 1875. He reserve of one thousand acres, Tairua Block. Please not to let Crown Grant for this issue till this Government is heard. G. Grey.