G.—B.

12

I beg also to refer you to the notices appearing in the Gazette of 16th June, 1846, particularly the notice that all persons claiming to have made purchases under certificates waiving the Crown's right of pre-emption, issued in terms of Governor Fitzroy's Proclamation of 26th March, 1844, should send in all papers, &c, for examination before Commissioners before the 15th September then next, after which time no claim would be received or entertained. In fact, Meurant never obtained and never applied for any such certificate, but on the 11th June, 1846, five days before this notice in the Gazette appears, he writes for the first time after the 28th May, 1844, his letter, in which he says, " The land in question was in point of fact a deed of gift from my wife's relatives to her." This statement, as I have already intimated, he knew to be false. And this leads me to the copy to be found amongst the papers of Meurant's memorial to the Governor and Legislative Council of New Zealand, in which he states that in May, 1844, this land, containing 30 acres 2 roods 8 perches, on the north side of the Tamaki Koad at its junction with the Epsom Road, was transferred by the chiefs Te Kawau, Te Hira, and Te Keene to their blood relation Kenehuru as a marriage portion, and for the support of her children, and proceeds to state, " That your petitioner, being desirous that this land should be held by Crown title as well as by Maori right, applied to the Government on 28th May, 1844, for waiver of pre-emption, and was informed, in answer, that the land in question being held in right of your petitioner's wife, no purchase or deed of grant from the Crown would be required." This, of course, is an incorrect statement, and there are many other statements in the memorial which, together with this, he afterwards admitted could not be substantiated ; and in a letter of his in October, 1849, he describes the 14-acre piece of land on the southern side of the Tamaki Eoad as the land purchased by him, and the piece of 30 acres on the northern side as the piece given to his wife. He also distinguishes between the two pieces of land in this way in his letter forwarded to Lord Grey, and his Lordship, in his despatch of the sth April, 1851, to Governor Grey, refers to the " confusion " occasioned by Meurant not accurately distinguishing between his claims for land alleged to have been granted to his native wife by Native chiefs, and other land which it now appears he purchased from Native chiefs. I beg also to enclose for your information a copy of the Crown grant of 20th September, 1848, which recites both pieces of land granted as having been gifts to Kenehuru, wife of Meurant. On the consideration of the whole case I submit that this gift by the Governor to Meurant, his wife and children, should not in any manner be impeached ; but if any of the grantees insists upon going behind it by making any claims in respect of matters which were compromised so to speak, then the whole matter must be gone into, and it will appear that these grantees have wrongfully acquired land of greater value than the land which they complain has been taken from them. I rely upon the evidence taken in the course of the inquiry as showing that the 14 acres on the southern side of the Tamaki Eoad are of greater value than the 20 acres on the northern side omitted from the grant. I may state that I have ascertained since this inquiry has been terminated that there are two or three persons residing in Auckland who knew Meurant when alive, who can depose to his having often expressed himself, immediately after the issue of the grant, as being perfectly satisfied with the arrangement thereby made. I have, &c, The Hon. H. A. Atkinson, J. C. MacCobmick. Land Claims Commmissioner, Wellington.

Enclosure in No. 11. (30685.) Edwabd Meueant, 10a. 2b. Bp., and 14a. Ib. 10p. Victoeia, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith and so forth : To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting. Whebeas the Native owners of the allotments or parcels of land hereinafter described have alienated the same for and towards the maintenance and support of Eliza Meurant, a Native woman, formerlycalled Kenehuru, now the wife of Edward Meurant, of Auckland, and for and towards the maintenance and support of the children of the said Eliza Meurant: Now know ye, that we being desirous of securing the said allotments or parcels of land for the purposes aforesaid, of our especial grace and mere motion for us our heirs and successors, do hereby grant and confirm all those two allotments or parcels of land situated in the Suburbs of Auckland, and Parish of Waitemata, in the County of Eden, being Lot 27 of Section 14, containing ten acres two roods eight perches, more or less ; bounded on the North-east by Lot 25, one thousand and fifteen links; on the South-east by a road, one thousand three hundred and eighty-two links; on the South-west by the road to the Tamaki, five hundred and sixtyfive links ; and on the West by a stream and Lot 1 of Section 11, containing fourteen acres one rood and ten perches, more or less; bounded on the North-east by the road to the Tamaki, one thousand four hundred and twenty-one and fifty links; on the West by the road to Onehunga, nine hundred and twenty-two and one thousand and five links ; on the South-east and East by Lot 2, one thousand and fourteen and five hundred and eighty-six links ; with all the rights and appurtenances thereto belonging, unto the said Edward Meurant during his life ; and from and immediately after the decease of the said Edward Meurant to the said Eliza Meurant during her life; and from and after the decease of the survivor of them the said Edward Meurant and Eliza Meurant to such of the children of the said Eliza Meurant by her present or any future husband as shall attain the age of twenty-one years, or shall die under that age leaving lawful issue living at his her or their decease, and his her or their assigns for ever, if more than one as tenants in common. In testimony whereof we have caused this our grant to to be sealed with the Seal of our Province of New Ulster. Witness our trusty and well-beloved George Dean Pitt, Esquire, Lieutenant-Governor of our said province and its dependencies, at Government House, Auckland, in New Ulster aforesaid, this twentieth day of September, in the twelfth year of our reign, and in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight. Geo. D. Pitt, Lieut.- Governor. By Authority: George DiDSßrsx, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB7s. Price 9d.]