7

C-6.

side said, had the operations in connection with this matter been suspended at the proper time, these Europeans could not have acted in this tricky manner. Paul said he would speak to Mr. Kemp about it. I then went back to my place, where I remained in great trouble of mind at the confused way in which your Europeans were making this purchase. That is why I came to see you personally, viz. about the £500 which Parore got. I too should receive a like sum, because Parore had £2,500 and a piece of land containing 250 acres out of the Maunganui Block, which was given back to him by the Government. The piece only contains 12,000 acres according to Mr. Preecc, and that was why I was to have such a small portion of the money. This is wrong; had it been a piece out of Waipoua No. 1, it would have been right, like the 250 acros which was given back to Parore by the Government out of Maunganui, and that is why I consider that we should have received an equal amount, viz. £2,500 for Parore and £2,500 for myself, or else that the extra £500 paid to Parore should be equally divided between us; Parore to receive £250 and I £250, thus making a total of £2,250 for me and £2.250 for Parore, and then my signing my name for the £2,300 for Maunganui and £2,200 for Waipoua would have been right. But this is a false accusation against me, and only done to make you believe that I really did sign my name for that sum. Mr. Preece's action is wrong, and the consideration money was charged against those lands in such a manner as to lead you to believe that the money was received by both of us, that is to say, Parore and myself. No, Parore alone received it. I have not known Mr. Brissenden to act in such a manner. Mr. Preece's word, which he is trying to maintain about the 12,000 acres, must cease. To Sir Donald McLean. Tiopiea Kutaki.

No. 6. His Honor the Supebintendent, Auckland, to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet. Sic, — Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 16th May, 1876. In acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, regarding a letter which had been addressed to me by Mr. J. A. Tole, I have to request that you will inform me whether or not the Government will institute an inquiry into the circumstances complained of by Mr. Tole, as I earnestly requested they would. I have, &c._ The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. G. Geet.

No. 7. His Honor the Supebintendent, Auckland, to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey. Sic,— Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 21st March, 1876. I have the honor to submit, for inquiry and consideration by the General Government, the copy of a letter which I have received from Mr. J. A. Tole, M.G.A., regarding alleged improprieties in connection with the purchase by the Government of a block of Native land near Hokianga. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. G. Geet.

Enclosure in No. 7. Mr. J. A. Tole to His Honor the Supeeintendent, Auckland. Sic,— Auckland, 13th March, 1876. I have the honor, in pursuance of the interview which, in company with the Native chiefs Paora Tuhaere, Hetate Haara, and Haurangi, I had with your Honor a few days ago on the subject of the improprieties connected with the purchase of Native lands near Hokianga, to make known the facts relative to the Opouteke Block, having already written to you Honor on the subject of the other two blocks named Waipoua and Maunganui. Early last year the above-named Opouteke Block, containing 43,622 acres, was subject to an adjudication coram Symonds, Judge of the Native Lands Court. The claimants were three in number, named respectively Heta te Haara, Haurangi, and Mare, the last-mentioned of whom, apparently, was the acknowledged claimant of the greatest territorial interest. The Court was about to enter into the usual investigation of the claim, when, after a short conference with Mare and Heta te Haara, and on the persuasion of Mare and with the concurrence of Heta (a concurrence never since questioned), Haurangi addressed the Court to the effect that it was arranged that Mare should be allowed to be sole grantee of the whole block on condition that he (Mare) would consent to hand over to the others (Haurangi and Heta), when the block would be sold, such portion of the total purchase money as would be equivalent to that part of the block (viz. 8775 acres) contained within certain limits, which limits were, with the consent and by the direction of all parties, in their presence and in the presence of the Judge and other officers of the Court, accordingly officially delineated by pencil lines by the Government Interpreter on the official map submitted to the Court. In order that this arrangement amongst the claimants might bo judicially noticed, Haurangi properly made a special request to the Judge that a record of the fact might be made ; and such, it is understood, was made. Mare, consequently, became tho sole grantee. Till recently (and at such a distance of time from the first adjudication, that a second hearing or appeal was, according to the Native land laws, rendered impossible) nothing ever transpired to create any doubt that the arrangement come to by the parties, and recognized by the Court, would be violated. The block has recently been purchased by .the Government, through their Native Land Purchase Agents, who, I am instructed, were thoroughly aware of the existing agreement amongst the Natives