37

G.—s

romia, Tauwhareparae, Tuakau, Uawa No. 1, Pirauau, Parariki, and other blocks. Parariki occupies the greater part of Waingaromia No. 2. It was surveyed after the latter was finished. In the same manner Tuakau is mostly taken up by Pirauau and Tauwhareparae. The latter block also takes up the remainder of Waingaromia No. 2. My appointment dates from February or March, 1875. That was when I came here. At that time the Survey Department was entirely disorganized. There was no one in charge of it but the District Officer. There was a Public Works Office, but that had nothing to do with Native lands. Mr. Wilson was employing surveyors when I came. When I came an office was established. There were no special regulations made, except those contained in the Native Lands Act. Applications were made to me by parties requiring surveys. I gave instructions to some of the surveyors that they were not to do any surveys of Native lands without direct instructions from me. When I took charge there were surveys in process of execution. Some were being done for Natives, others for the Land Purchase Department, Mr. Wilson made no application to me for a considerable time after my arrival. It was after Sir D. McLean's visit here. I had conversations with Mr. Wilson before that about the new arrangement. After I arrived, Mr. Locke informed me that he had authorized the survey of Waingaromia. Mr. Locke authorized Eaffie to make the survey. Mr. Wilson mentioned to me that Simpson was taken away from his work. He did not make a complaint. Ido not think he ever complained to me that he could not get surveyors. When we got written applications, we pushed the surveys on as quickly as we could. Ido not remember Mr. Heale saying anything to me to the effect that information should have been given to Mr. Wilson of the instructions given to the surveyors. There was no need of such information. The Act was sufficient. With regard to the Uawa Block, the area on the map in the hands of the Commissioners, 1,114 acres, is a clerical error. The pencil line on my map was drawn by Judge Munro at the sitting of the Court. The map before Judge Munro showed no distinction of Mangarara No. 2. It was all part of Uawa No. 1. To questions h/ Mr. J. A. Wilson.'] Mr. Eaffie did not begin Waingaromia until he had finished Tokomairo. I believe Simpson took the appointment of sub-divisional surveyor of his own free choice. I remember, now you mention it, coming to inform you of my position, in consequence of a telegram from Mr. Heale ; it was after Teasdale had gone out to survey Tauwhareparae. You may have told me there would have been a good many surveys, and that you would send in requisitions in writing. Eaffie certified the map of Waingaromia 1, 2, 3, as his surveys. I have had several applications from Natives for survey of Ihunui, a block included in Uawa No. 1. I think Mr. Reeves has a house and fences on it: ho has spoken to me about it. We could not accept an application to survey from him—only from the Natives or the Land Purchase Department —unless in the case of subdivision. I do not know the area of Ihunui. Judge Monro's line has been cut quite recently. I had it cut in consequence of Judge Rogan's minute on the map. I believe I informed you on the same or the next day. You said you had been urging that the line should not be cut; but receiving no answer to your telegrams, you could take no further steps in the matter. (See telegram 19th September, already put in.) To the Commissioners.'] Before Judge Rogan's note of 18th September, the surveyor began to cut the line without instructions from me. I told him to stop. My reason was that Mr. Wilson had always objected to the cutting of that line. Ido not know that he made any special application to me to stop it on that occasion. Ido not know whether he knew it was being done. [After adjournment to 2 p.m.] Mr. Baker put in the Commissioners' Uawa map with correction of area. The right area is 659 acres, including Mangarara No. 2, 164a (495 acres). My appointment as Deputy Inspector of Surveys is dated 24th February, 1875. I was not acting here in any other capacity before that. Mr. Wilson's application for the survey of Arakihi and Parariki is dated 19th May, 1875. Thomas William Poetee, sworn: I am Adjutant of the East Coast District, and Land Purchase Officer of the Ngatiporou District. I have also been acting in this district for about six years as Native Agent for the Government. I know the lands marked on the maps as Waingaromia 1, 2, and 3. Eaffie surveyed them. It was on account of Mr. Cooper. A good deal of land was taken by Cooper, under the name of Waingaromia, which ought not to have been. I only knew the block containing 7,435 acres under that name. Eaffie went out to survey this block after completing his map of Tokomairo. I heard through Natives that the survey party was running into country that was not Waingaromia; that they were going to Tutamoa. I met Pita te Huhu, and took him to my office to learn what country he was having surveyed. The land had been gazetted. [ Gazette already put in.] I think it was July, 1875 I saw Pita, and told him I heard the surveyors were going into the Ngatiporou country. The description he gave me took in a great deal more than appeared in the Gazette. I told him it would not be fair to the Coast Natives, Ngatira, <fcc, to bring these lands before the Court unknown to them. He said he had no intention of swindling them ; lie could send up and get them (particularly an old man named Tamati te Rangi—he seemed to ignore the others as owners) to agree to pass these lands through the Court. After this interview, I mentioned the matter to Judge Rogan and Mr. Locke. I said I thought it was an attempt of Mr. Cooper to take in more land than he had any right to. I also told Arapeta Potae that he had better tell Mr. Wilson of it. Mr. Cooper came to me some days afterwards in great trouble about it. He said he had spent a good deal of money on the survey, and if it did not go through the Court he would be in a mess. I understood him to say that a former application had been sent to Mr. Locke, and that application contained all the land. The description in the G-azette he said was not the right one. My opinion was formed from the Gazette notice, J together with my knowledge of the country. [Here Mr. Wilson put in letter from himself to Captain ] Porter, 22nd June, 1876, and the latter's reply.] Cooper had previous negotiations with Natives for lands—the Oil Spring Block, Mangatai Kaupu. The survey for Cooper went on. It must have been nearly or quite completed when I saw Pita. I think Mr. Wilson came to tell me that these lands were coming before the Court. I remember having a notice about them to send to Natives, I do not

Appendix, Nos. 17 & 48,