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APPENDIX in.—REPORTS ON SPECIAL CASES.
No. 1. TIROTIROMOANA RESERVE. Hon. Sir W. Fox to Hon. Native Minister. West Coast Commission Office, New Plymouth, 25th February, 1882. Sir, —I have the honor to enclose a Report upon the Tirotiromoana Reserve, for which I have Tecommended three separate grants, and to request that you will lay the same before His Excellency the Governor for his information. I have, &c, William Fox, The Hon. John Bryce, M.H.R., Native Minister. West Coast Commissioner.
Enclosure. Report of the Commissioner appointed [under " The West Coast Settlement (North Island) Act, 1880," on the Tirotiromoana Reserve. This Reserve of 10,000 acres, which lies on the Mountain Road between Normanby and Stratford, is intended to embrace promises made by Civil Commissioner, Major Brown, to the natives who constitute the nominated grantees. Evidence relating to it will be found among that taken by the Commission of 1880, at Q. 120-143 and again 1131-1165. Its origin appears to have been the necessity of fulfilling several somewhat indefinite promises made on behalf of the Government, and finding a location for certain sections of the tribes who could not be conveniently inserted into the other reserves previously denned. It was in fact a sort of Omnibus Reserve for the relics of other operations elsewhere, and to put a final stop to any more indefinite claims. The Commissioner found that it had already been surveyed; but by a surveyor who had disregarded his instructions and included in it 6,000 acres more than it ought to have contained. The evidence in favor of the smaller quantity was strong, and the Commissioner has accepted it and reduced the area of the reserve by the necessary amount. This was rather a difficult operation, as it appeared that certain local points had -been stipulated for by the natives in their negotiations with Major Brown and it had to be done in a way to meet the wishes of the various hapus which were to be located upon it. For the latter purpose the Commissioner has divided it into three parts, for each of which he has recommended a separate grant to a separate hapu. It has been distinctly understood that these three grants satisfy all the promises mentioned in the evidence referred to and all other claims of every sort, if such there be, pertaining to the natives to whom the grants are made, South of the Waingongoro River, particularly a claim by Wiremu Omahuru and his relatives based on some alleged promises made by Sir Donald McLean. William Fox, West Coast Commmission Office, West Coast Commissioner. New Plymouth, 25th February, 1882.
No. 2. STRATFORD RESERVE. Hon. Sir W. Pox to Hon. Native Minister. West Coast Commission Office, New Plymouth, 25th March, 1882. Sir, —I have the honor to enclose a Report upon the grants for 300 acres on the Mountain Road north of the Tirotiromoana Reserve, and for section 13, Block 11., Ngaere, for the issue of which I forwarded recommendations on 22nd September, 1881, and 11th January, 1882, respectively. I have to request that you will lay it before His Excellency the Governor for his information. I have, &c, William Fox, The Hon. the Native Minister, &c, &c, &c. West Coast Commissioner.
Enclosure.
Report of the West Coast Commissioner on Grants for Section 13, Block 11., Ngaere, and 300 acres on the Mountain Road north of Tirotiromoana Reserve, recommended to be issued by His Excellency the Governor. Recommendations have already been sent in to His Excellency the Governor for grants of a block of 700 acres, near Stratford, in favor of Heke Pakeke, and 34 others; and also a grant of 300 acres lower down the Mountain Road in favor of the same natives. The grants represent the adjustment of the case referred to in the Third Report of the West Coast Commission, G. 2, 1880, page lv., and in the evidence given by Major Brown, Q. 146, Pepe Heke, 93 and 144, and other witnesses examined by the Commission. The compulsory exchange of a reserve of 700 acres was undoubtedly a very high handed transaction on the part of the Civil Commissioner, Major Brown (though acting under general instructions from a Minister), and one very injurious to the interests of the natives. As already reported by the West Coast Commission, it was only submitted to by the natives " under duress," and against their wishes and remonstrances. The difference in value between the two blocks was very great. The value of the portion of the town, included in the original reserve, has been G. 5—4.