0.-5.

9. On 21st December, 1869 (two years since date of last), Mr. Clarke, TTnder-Secrefcary, writes to Mr. Parris referring to Mr. Rolleston's letter, and requesting to know what action has been taken, to which there is no reply on file. 10. On 10th March, 1870, Mr. Mackay (now apparently acting as agent for Louisa Taylor, and not a Government official) asks that 10 acres of land at Mangare, near Onehunga, where she has relations residing, may be given to her as compensation for her claims. Mr. Clarke minutes on this that the promise made to her was for a little piece—" whonua iti" —at Warea: that her claim seems never to have been brought before the Compensation Court: that Mr. Parris informs him there is no land available at Taranaki, and he (Mr. Clarke) suggests that 5 acres be given her at Mangare. On sth April, 1870, Hon. Donald McLean, Native Minister, does not consider it advisable to grant land at Mangare. 11. On 4th March, 1870, Mr. Clarke acknowledges Mr. Parris's letter of 28th December, 1869, and informs him that it is not considered desirable to interfere at present with land at Warea. 12. On 11th April, 1870, Mr. Mackay, as agent for Louisa, writes that he understands Government will not grant land at Mangare, and proposes an award on confiscated lands at Taranaki. This is forwarded to Mr. Parris to report what provision, has been made for Louisa, and in what district. On Ist June, 1870, Mr. Parris replies " that Louisa's mother was a Taranaki woman of Upokomate tribe, whose pa was near Warea, where Louisa stated her land was: that neither this land nor any within ten miles of it had ever been taken by Government (consequently she had no claim to compensation). If, as a favour, the Government should think proper to give her other land, it would not he, he presumed, because her claim was a valid one. The chief Porikapa expressly denies that she has any claim to land with the Ngamahanqa tribe-" and Mr. Parris adds that there is no land available for her elsewhere in the Taranaki District. Mr. Cooper, Under-Secretary, minutes on this that the land never having been taken possession of by G-overnment, she is no worse off than other Natives claiming in the same block {i.e., she has only a tribal claim, and the land is there to satisfy it in common): that the promise made by Sir George Grey was conditional on the lands she claimed being taken by Government, which they were, not; and she cannot, therefore, claim performance of that promise. This reply is given to Mr. Mackay 13. On 27th September, 1870, Mr. Mackay requests that land in the non-confiscated block may be surveyed for her, so that she may have her title to it decided by the Land Court. On 12th October, 1870, Mr. Halse, Under-Secretary, minutes that this is for the consideration of Government. 14. While apparently the Government was considering, a lapse of nearly four years occurs, when on 12th February, 1874, Louisa writes again, claiming this time not a " whenua iti," or little piece, at Warea, but a great number of other places and large tracts of land, many thousand acres in extent, including Opunake. On 17th February, 1874, Mr. Clarke minntes " that, as this woman is so persistent, a letter be written to Hemi Parae, Wiremu Matakatea, and Honi Pihama, to leai'n whether there is such a person, and whether she has claims to land at Taranaki." Hemi Parae (3rd March, 1874) replies that he knows nothing of this woman, nor of the lands she lays claim to. Curiously enough, on receipt of this positive denial of her claim, Mr. Clarke seems suddenly to have changed his mind, and a new light to have broken in upon him. He minutes on Hemi Parae's letter, " that from all he can learn she is justly entitled to consideration ;" and suggests " that she should receive 100 acres in some convenient place, say Oakura, if there is land available." He adds "that Honi Pihama and Wiremu Matakatea admit her claim," which, it appears afterwards, they do to a very limited extent indeed. Hon. Donald McLean again refers the matter to Mr. Parris. On Ist October, 1874, Mr. Parris, in a long letter, says he has again submitted her claims to leading Natives, being elders, whose opinion is to be taken; that a number of places mentioned, to which she now sets up new claims, belong to the Puketapu Tribe, who repudiate even the shadow of a claim on her part; that llopata Ngarongomate and certain other chiefs of Warea, deny any right of hers to land originally belonging to the Ngamahanga, but state that she is a lineal claimant through her mother in common loitJt the Upokomate hapu to some land near Warea, where the mother lives, and that he (Mr. Parris) never heard of the mother claiming any other. He says that Hone Pihama denies admitting her claim at Opunake further than a very distant collateral one. Mr. Parris cannot, therefore, understand Mr. Clarke's statement, that she is "justly entitled to consideration," because in the district where her claim is admitted no action has been taken under the Confiscation Act. He repeats that "no injustice has been done to her," and suggests if the Government intends to give her land certain places where it might be taken. On 22nd August, 1875, Louisa again writes a letter, claiming several large blocks in Taranaki District. Mr. Halse, Under-Secretary, simply minutes that he thinks the letter may be safely put on the file. 15. In 1876, Louisa presented a petition to Parliament asking for redress on behalf of herself and four others, whom she joins with her. The petition was referred to the Native Affairs Committee, who, on 18th September, 1877, reported, " That it appears perfectly clear that petitioners have a substantial grievance: that the evidence and correspondence show conclusively that their claim has been admitted for many years, although never finally dealt with. The claim should be finally disposed of without further delay; and, in doing so, regard be had to the number of years their admitted right, however small, has been withheld from them." 16. After some unimportant letters and minutes, Mr. Clarke, Under-Secretary, on Sth November, 1877, recommends that instructions be given to Mr. Commissioner Brown " to find her 100 acres of good land," specifying places near Taranaki. On 15th February, 1878, Louisa asks to have her land in other than the specified places. Mr. Sheehan, Native Minister, telegraphs to tell Major Brown that it must be good land and in a good position. Major Brown replies that there is no land where she wishes to have it: that the promise made by Mr Bolleston was at Warea, where her strongest claims were believed to be, and that her other claims are on lands returned to Natives near Stony jiiyer. 17 On 9th May, 1878, Mr. Sheehan, Native Minister, telegraphs that a copy of the report of the Native Affairs Committee be sent to Major Brown.

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