G.—2.

marked off on the ground, nor on any plan except in the manner just described ; and that not even those marked on the plan were ever made knoAvn to the Natives. 3. But we had also to inquire whether, if proper reserves had been' made before or during the progress of the surveys, there are good reasons for believing that the removal of the surveyors and our subsequent embarrassments would not have occurred. The opinions of Major Brown and his assistants Captain Wilson and Mr. Blake, are very decided on this point: while the utterances of several leading Natives, including Te Whiti and Titokowaru, and their action during the progress of the survey for seven or eight months while they Avaited patiently to see their reserves marked off, lead clearly to the same conclusion. Major Brown Avas asked by us, " Are Ave to understand that your belief is, that if you had been in a position to arrange reserves with Titokowaru, his objection to the survey would haA re been waived ? " —"Yes." "Do we quite understand you to say that tlie non-arrangement of the reserves lay at the root of the driving? off of the surveyors?"—"Yes; I consider that it did." "And that, if the Natives had been consulted about the reserves, and if satisfactory reserves had been made for them, probably the surveyors might not have been turned off?" —"True." " Then are we to understand that your opinion as the officer in charge of Native affairs there is, that no steps should have been taken with respect to the surveys without the settlement of the question of reserves ?"—" Yes." Mr. Blake, in a report written by him on the 21st September 1879, six months after the surveyors were turned off, said, "The manner in which the survey Avas being carried on by the Government, and much that AA ras told them, convinced all the Natives that the Government meant to cut up the whole of the lands between Waingongoro and Stoney River, without any regard to their wants and feelings; and AA'hen the survey had proceeded sufficiently, in their minds, to prove clearly to them this A'iew of the case, they, friendlies and others, took steps to have it stopped. The Natives between Waingongoro and the Urenui affirmed repeatedly to me their full belief that the Government intended to cut up and take all the lands between Waingongoro and Stoney River, as they had begun doing at Waimate. The survey at Waimate was carried on, the Avhole was being marked off in small sections and lots, no reserves were pointed out, and the lithograph plans which came out for the sale showed no Native reserves. It was only when Major BroAvn heard that the survey was stopped, that he hurried off to 'Wellington, and then began marking off the sections on the plans as Native reserves. What should have been done AA ras to begin by making a Native block survey; that is, a purely Native survey of the block or blocks belonging to each hapu of the tribe, and as each block was surveyed, settle Avith the original owners as to the locality and boundary of reserves, and arrange amount of payment for the remaining portions." Mr. Thompson (also assisting Major Brown) on the 23rd Eebruary 1879, wrote to him: " I would ask you to impress upon Mr. Sheehan the absolute necessity of some decision being come to at once with regard to the reserves, and that if he can in any Avay make it convenient he should come amongst the people at once." But the most remarkable utterance on the subject is that of Te Whiti, in the course of his interview with Mr. Mackay, when the latter, after the surveyors Avere turned off, Avas sent with Mr. Blake by the Government to that chief at Parihaka. After a long discussion on the confiscation and the extent to which Te Whiti set up the claim of his people to the land north of Waingongoro, Te Whiti came to the point of the reseiwes. "Your survey," he said, "is Avrong, being Avithout my consent and authority. As you came along, Blake, did you show Mackay the line cut through the cultivations at the door of TitokoAvaru's house? " "Yes," replied Mr. Blake, "we saw that." "Then," continued Te Whiti, " Avhere is the piece to be retained by the Natives ? Where are the promises of McLean and Parris, that the lands in the occupation of the Natives should not be taken from them ? But for the surveyors being turned off, Ave should receive no consideration at the hands of the Government. The Avorks of McLean, Parris,

1879.

Major Brown, Evidence, Q. 679 et seq.

Blake, Eeport. Appendix A, No. 15, p. 16.

Eeport of meeting with Te Whiti. Appendix A, No. 10.

XXIX