a.— 9

1876. NEW ZEALAND.

HALF-CASTE CLAIMS IN THE SOUTH AND STEWART ISLAND. (PAPERS RELATIVE TO).

Return to an Order of the Souse of Representatives, J¥o. 23, 12th July, 1876. " That there be laid before this House copies of all correspondence between Mr. Alexander Mackay, Commissioner of Native Reserves, and the Government, relative to the setting apart of certain lands in the Middle Island for half-castes of the Ngaitahu tribe."— (Mr. Taiaroa.)

No. 1. Mr. A. Mackay to the Undee Secbetaey, Native Office. Sic, — Native Office, Wellington, sth September, 1874. I have the honor to forward herewith, for the information of the Hon. the Native Minister, a return* of half-castes to be provided with land in fulfilment of promises made on the cession of Native territory to the Crown, within the boundaries of the Ngaitahu, Murihiku, and Stewart Island purchases. The claims of these people were brought before the Legislative Council in 1869 (vide Sessional Paper D. No. 20, 1870), and a resolution was passed on August 24th, of that year, praying His Excellency the Governor to give immediate effect to the report of the Public Petitions Committee on the subject. The Committee found, from papers laid before the House of Eepresentatives in 1863 (No. 77), that about twenty awards in respect of these claims received the approval of the Officer Administering the Government in 1855, and that nothing further had been done since that date. The papers alluded to do not appear in the Appendix of 1863, nor have I as,yet seen any record of the persons in whose favour the awards were made; but it would be advisable before any steps are taken to further the settlement of the claims now under review, that this information should be obtained, with a view to prevent cases of dual award. The aggregate number of half-castes included in the return herewith (which cannot be considered an exhaustive one, as a complete list has not yet been made of persons of that race residing within the Canterbury Province) is 187, in the proportion of 90 males to 97 females ; 94 of whom were born at Stewart Island, and 93 at places on the mainland ; and care has been taken in collecting the information to include only those persons who come within the category of half-castes. Provision is made by " The Stewart Island Grants Act, 1873," for the execution of grants to half-castes born on the island, but as others named in the returns are equally entitled to a similar concession, some measure will have to be undertaken to legalize the dedication of land to them in a like manner. The aggregate area of land required to satisfy the claims of those enumerated in the list in the proportion fixed by the aforesaid Act—namely, 10 acres for each male and 8 acres for each female— amounts to 1,676 acres. With a view to expedite the settlement of the question, and to enable the half-castes entitled to land in the neighbourhood of Foveaux Strait to select their several portions, as it was highly important for many reasons that the selections should be effected as early as possible, more especially as land suitable for the purpose has become limited in extent, I made application to the Waste Lands Board at Invercargill (which was granted on the 29th April, 1874) to temporarily reserve from sale certain lands particularized in a Schedule accompanying the application, a copy of which I append (B). A return similar to the one herewith, containing ihe names of the half-castes, their place of abode, and the locality in which they have already selected or desire to select their land, was also furnished to the Commissioner of Crown Lands at lnveroargill, for the information of the local Government. * Not printed : information contained in subsequent returns. I— G. 9.