17

G.—s

Piains for the Government a claim of yours to land on those Plains would be recognized, the Minister promising you a block of land there. Other circumstances enable me to fix the date of this conversation at about the middle of the year 1875; and I also well remember some remark on your prolonged absence from home, and the inconvenience which they must occasion in you? family; that you told me it was well worth your while to devote all your time to the acquisition of the Plains, and to put up with all the inconveniences, and then you gave me the reason as above. I have, &c, C. D. Whitoombe.

Sub-Enclosure 6 to Enclosure in No. 4. Extract from Letter from Mr. Shebwood to Major Brown 28th March, 1878. " Aeotjt your land at Waimate. If it should be of any service to you I will relate as much as I can at present remember in connection with it: Some years ago I proposed to the Government a scheme for settling the Waimate Plains. I enclose a copy of it. It was not, however, entertained ; but when Sir Donald McLean came here he saw me and referred to the scheme, and said that he thought a great deal of it, and said, that if such a man as Major Brown, for instance, had taken the matter in hand, it might have had a better fate, as Major Brown had been an old resident on the Plains, and had already got a claim to land there, which he fully recognized. He asked me if Major Brown could be induced to settle at Waimate, as, if so, it would'materially assist the Government in settling Europeans upon the land. He promised to see to it on his return. In March or April, 1874, I remember being at your house, when I aaked you if ever anything had been done in the matter. You said it was all right, the land had been promised you by Sir Donald. I remember we all congratulated you upon it, and urged you to settle on the land at once. There were present at the time, Captains Messenger and Carthew, Miss Allen, your two daughters—Laura and Mary—and myself. If you ask them they will no doubt remember, as we talked a good deal about it. That is about all I can recollect at present; and, indeed, I should not have remembered so much were it not for the interest I have always felt in the question of settling Europeans on the Plains." Note.—This letter is adduced by Major Brown to prove that Sir Donald recognized his claim to land oa the Plains. It is of little value, for the following reasons: 1. The conversation with Sir Donald, reported by Mr. Sherwood, was not official —nothing more than chit-chat. 2. Sir Donald did not speak of any specified claims, nor pretended to any knowledge of what they were. 3. Whatever he said could be no proof that he promised Major Brown to recognize his claim, and that such promise was to be part of his remuneration for his services as Civil Commissioner, for the conversation occurred before 1874, when Major Brown was not in the Government service, nor likely to be. If anything, it must have intimated an intention on the part of Sir Donald McLean to give Major Brown a valuable grant of land for having done nothing, and which ho had no legal right so to dispose of, which is not to be credited.—W.P

Sub-Enclosure 7 to Enclosure in No. 4. Lettek, from Major Beown- to the Seceetaet, West Coast Commission. Sib,— New Plymouth, 2ad April, 1881. I have been looking over my papers and memoranda of old date to enable me to answer the questions raised in your letter of the 16th February last. Ist. The promise was made by the Natives in or about the year 1845. 2nd. The locality of the 1,000 acres commenced at Tuerata, on the west bank of the Waingongoro Eiver, opposite to the Kanihi Pa, and continuing about equally to the North and West. 3rd. The names of the Natives of the TJmutahi Tribe who made the promise (were principally the residents at Waitoto, since removed to Mawhitiwhiti) were Te Kewetoue, Witikama, Panapa, Te Eakena, Te Mokana, Paiura, Te Karira, Te Manihera, Neana, Tupara, Te Waka, Aporo, Neha, Eupene, Watarauwhi, Motu, Kawe Itihi, Mitai, Ngana, Ngaingai, Tamairi, Aio, Ngawhio, Tamawhero, Takoto Ore, Taumata, Tikawe, Te Matoe, Te Eeweti, Ohua, Poarama, Pirimona (now Tonga), Hare, Wiremu Kaitangata, Irai (now Tauake te Ure), Pene (afterwards Te Auika and now Waitara), Te Matenga, who died about 1860: his three sons, since dead, of whom the representatives are Te Matenga, a grandson and son of Bangihekeiho ; Maria, widow of the latter, and Ilia, a sister of Eangihekeibo and widow of Te Hira, were last seen by me at Parihaka ; Himaima, widow of Te Karira, residing with or near Porikapa : the principal of all being Te Pumipi, who died in 1879, impressing on those he left behind him that my claim should be recognized. His son Timoti was present, but has since left with his wife to see her relatives on the East Coast, where his evidence might be taken. Meteria, sister of Pumipi, and wife of Hoani, is living at Punihu and Mawhitiwhiti. Te Arawata (now Uru te Angina), of Pakaraka, can possibly give evidence on the subject, as he was one of my boys at the time. I also beg to refer you to a letter from Te Eangihekeiho, of about the year 1868, which I laid before the Eoyal Commissioners, in which, speaking of the boundaries of the tribe, and including those described above, he designates the whole as " our land." About the year 1867, I was informed by Mr. Commissioner Parris that " the Natives still considered the land mine, and that I was fairly entitled to it." In 1879 and 1880, Mr. Williams informed me that the Natives " still considered the land mine, and that I ought to have it." I shall be happy to wait upon the Eoyal Commissioner whenever he deems it necessary. The Secretary West Coast Commission. Chables Bbown.

3—G. 5.