G.—2

It was therefore necessary for the Government to act through the Taranaki Land Board in anything connected with the sale of the Waimate Plains. On the 25th March 1879, the Commissioner of Crown Lands received the following telegram from the Hon. Mr. Ballance, Colonial Treasurer: " The Government desire that you will call an emergency meeting of the Board to-day, to arrange for the sale of the Plains Avithin the next few Aveeks. Draft preliminary advertisement will be telegraphed to you immediately. Meamvhile please convene the meeting." The meeting of the Board AA ras held the same afternoon. Before it met, the Commissioner received tAvo other telegrams from Mr. Ballance and the Under-Secre-tary, one directing that the sale should be held at Patea, the other containing the form of an adArcrtisement for approval by the Board, to appear next clay in the New Zealand .and Australian papers, advertising the 16,000 acres to be sold at Patea in the ensuing May. At the meeting the Board approved the advertisement, and proceeded to classify the lands, as by law they had to do, into rural, suburban, and town land respectively. This was all done on the day folloAring that on Avhich the surveyors had been turned off the Plains. The Board Avere Avell aware of that event, but considered that the course they Avere desired to take was a political act of the GoArernment; and they confined themselves to passing a resolution approA'ing of the advertisement. They had some discussion on the subject, and one member proposed a resolution "equivalent to censure" on the action of the Government: but the other members thinking it might do harm in the then position of affairs, it Avas AvithdraAvn. The Board thought it necessary to place on record before the Commission a formal statement of the circumstances, and this will be found appended to the evidence. The advertisement Avas published next day in New Plymouth, and the Board were informed from Wellington that the Minister had sent it for publication in Australia as well as in NeAV Zealand. Other communications followed immediately afterwards betAveen the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the Government at Wellington. The Commissioner sent an urgent telegram on 2nd April, asking " whether schedules of Native reserves, details of deferred-payment sections, and prices had been fonvarded: matter very urgent." To this he received a reply on some points, but no mention of Native reserves. On the same clay he sent a further urgent telegram: " Special meeting called for 3 o'clock to-day: how about Native reserves?" To this he received a reply, " Native reserves proposed in the terms of the Chief Surveyor's telegram, or rather, the sections arc to be reserved from sale." We asked the Commissioner of CroAvn Lands, " Then the Board did not knoAV Avhat the Native reserves were to be ?" His answer was, "On receipt of this I saAv the Chief Surveyor, Avho informed me Avhat sections Avere affected by burial-grounds, fishingplaces, and cultivations." But at that time no step whatever had been taken to determine the reserves, for it Avas not till the 2nd of April that Major Brown sent in his proposal for any reserves at all; nor did the Government vouchsafe to the Board an indication of their intentions on the one question Avhich the Natives had at heart, and Avhich was the true cause of their stopping the survey Avhen they believed it threatened their settlements, namely, AA'hat Avas to be done about their homes and their large cultivations inland of the surveyed block. On the Ith April the Commissioner of Crown Lands received a telegram from Wellington : " Withhold advertisement of sale until further notice :" and of course! he at once withdrew the advertisement. Nothing more Avas done till the 21th April, Avhen he received another telegram from the Under-Secretary of Lands : " Proposed to issue folloAving advertisement by direction of Minister of Crown Lands : ' Referring to advertisement dated 25th March last, the sale of Waimate Plains is postponed until further notice.' Please inform me whether you agree to advertisement as to Waimate Plains, and insert it in Taranaki papers." To this the Commissioner replied, " Have sent it to the Taranaki papers : advertisement required, as I am constantly receiving inquiries as to whether the sale is postponed." This was the last thing done in connection with the sale of the Plains. The Government had themselves determined which sections were to be offered for sale as "Special-value land," at £5 per acre, and as "Deferred-payment land;" and which sections were to be " Withheld from sale." The latter class represented the

1879. Telegram, Hon. 35th MarcKl'B79

Commissioner of E^ence^aVn ei seq.

Commissioner of M^X^Boara 16th March isso! B ndence> PP- 67 >

Commissioner of Evide"iraaQ dg72--971.

commissioner of r?™ n Land9 > A ' e"ce'

Commissioner of Crown Lands, Evidence, Q. 982.

XXXI