13

G.—s

Crown grants are issued for hapu awards, and unless the survey is exact, complete, and mathematically correct, the Chief Surveyor of district declines to certify and therefore no Crown grants can issue. Hapu boundaries are not arbitrary lines, but require to be definitely fixed on the ground, or things are left as they were before, and natives may still repeat the complaint of not knowing where their land actually is—the cry always being "Show us our land." The fact of not having the reserves actually denned on the ground caused a considerable amount of trouble on the Plains. Relative to compensation awards, these scrip awards, having no localization, have existed now some seventeen years, and it seems only fair that, except in cases where the Royal Commissioner can see his way to combine, these should be actually marked out; and as Crown grants must issue for each award, Ido not see how a plan to meet the requirements of the Crown Lands Commissioner can be made without careful survey. Individualization of hapu awards or grants of course need not be done, except possibly in special cases, by the Commission, provided the hapu grant is issued ; this subdivision would, as a rule come within the province of the Commissioner appointed to deal with the reserves when granted. Where practicable, care might be taken to run hapu boundaries in such a way that such boundaries might be utilized as road lines; but in any case, as ample allowances are being made in the grants for future roads, the question of best roads can be decided whenever future individualization surveys are made. In allocating compensation awards, the best lines of road can be run after the exterior block is surveyed, and when these are plotted, the compensation awards can be schemed out; this would entail very little extra survey work, and much future trouble would be saved. If the work be not done correctly now, future surveys would have to be made de novo, at fresh expense, and in many instances the corrections would be so great that the first grants would have to be called in and fresh ones issued. The work being now under way, it can never be done cheaper, and if it is to be done at all, the first expense will be the least. The greater the number of surveyors employed, if the work be judiciously allocated, the sooner, and therefore cheaper, it will be done.

Enclosure 2 in No. 4. Notes on the Surveyor-General's Telegram of 25th April, 1882, by the "West Coast Commissioner. 1. In most of the cases the Commissioner can make no awards till the surveys are executed. No doubt in many cases it would be possible to describe by words in a Crown grant an undivided block before survey, such as " Bounded by the sea on the West, and on the North and South by the Eivers So-and-so," but even in these cases no plan could be placed in the grant such as would satisfy the requirements of the Survey Department. There would be no measurements nor angles, and the courses of the rivers would be purely imaginary, so that at some future time, when the actual survey had been effected, a new plan would have to be put on the grant to supersede the first. But if this were possible in undivided blocks, defined by natural boundaries, it would not meet the case of subdivided blocks, of which most of the Commission awards consist. Neither are the hapu boundaries "arbitrary lines," but generally enclose areas proportioned to the area of the undivided block and the number of claimants in each hapu, and other inherent circumstances of each case. 2. Nothing would be gained by dividing the work between the Commission Surveyors and the Government staff. In a few cases, such as the subdivision of the Waimate continuous reserve, and the sectionizing of the Titahi Block, in which part of the work was for Government purposes and part for Commission, it has been found convenient; but nothing whatever would be gained by it in the generality of cases dealt with by the Commission; and the proposal of an addition of only two would be quite inadequate, whether made to the Government or Commission force. 3. The occupation of the country by Europeans is not the primary object of the work of the Commission, but the fulfilling of the promises and engagements of the Government towards the Natives. The occupation by Europeans will follow in due course on the issuing of grants to the hapus. Hapu subdivisions are absolutely essential. 4. As regards compensation scrip awards made by the Court in sections varying from 400 to 2 acres, the area of each section must necessarily be defined before it can be selected or any grant prepared. In some of this class of cases I may be able to induce the natives to "lump " their sections, but even in that case boundaries must be defined on the ground. As truly observed by Capt. Skeet, the cry of the Natives is, " Show us our land." William Pox.

No. 5. The Hon. the Minister of Lands to the "West Coast Commissioner. Wellington, 21st June, 1882. Pressure of business has prevented my replying fully to your letter of 9th instant on surveys. This however is not of so much moment, as nothing should be done until after winter as you state. Meanwhile plans should be matured so as to complete work in shorter time. My feeling is very strong that the increase of staff should be made by this Department and should consist of our own officers, and I have instructed Surveyor-General to make provision for such increase accordingly. You will see how necessary it is, when your judicial work is over, that the Survey Department should have the complete detail in its possession ; and it is very essential to avoid duplication of work. Provision will be made on Estimates so as to effect these objects at once. W. BOLLESTON. 3—G. 5.