7

A,—sa

Eepoet on the Grant recommended in favour of the Ngatitama Tribe. The ancestral northern boundary of the Ngatitama tribe was the Mokau Eiver, which was many years ago shifted to Mohakatino by the peace arrangements, after long hostilities. Subsequently the Northern tribes drove the Ngatitamas from the district, and they migrated to the South, where they remained until the arrival of European settlers, when they began to return, and settled in many places so far as Tongaporutu. During some of the meetings held in Waikato under the auspices of the Maori King movement the Ngatitamas were invited to attend, which they did, and were formally promised the restoration of their ancient rights to the land, and recommended to live on it, which they were doing (so far as Tongaporutu), when the Native Land Court, sat and by its decision completely upset the understanding which had been arrived at. So far as I have been able to ascertain the facts, the Ngatitama failed to establish their case in consequence of a mistake in the manner in which it was brought before the Court, and if they had been allowed a rehearing, for which they applied, they would most probably, have succeeded in establishing their right to the land between Tongaporutu and the Confiscated Block; but the Chief Judge of the Land Court positively refused a rehearing. The Ngatitama, being thus stripped of all the land they had, were thrown on the world, and appealed to the Government. The Hon. the Native. Minister, Mr. Bryce, suggested to the Commission!" to locate them inside the confiscated boundary ; and, there being a small block of about 576 acres near Pukearuhe available for this purpose, which they were willing to accept, it was surveyed for them, and they have been put in possession of it. Some of them had previously been occupying a portion of the town-belt on the south side of the Town of Pukearuhe, which is never likely to be more than a town on paper, and which had, by a former arrangement with the Crown Agent, been made available for settling Native claims. It has been thought desirable to add 71 acres of this belt to their award. William Fox, West Coast Commissioner. West Coast Commission Office, New Plymouth, 26th April, 1884.

APPENDIX IV. The Hon. Sir W. Fox to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sic, — West Coast Commission Office, New Plymouth, 26th April, 1884. I have the honour to enclose a report on the awards made by the Government to absentee members of the Ngatitama, Ngatimutunga, Ngatiawa, and Taranaki tribes, and to request you to lay the same before His Excellency the Governor for his information. I have, &c, William Fox, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. West Coast Commissioner.

Eepoet upon the Awards in favour of the Absentee Members of the Ngatitama, Ngatimutunga, Ngatiawa, and Taranaki Tribes (referred to in Second Eeport, 1880, pp. xxxvii. and xxxviii.; Evidence, q. 363, 806-808 ; and Appendix C, No. 1). In the case of the absentees whose claims were disallowed by the Compensation Court in 1866, which decision gave rise to great dissatisfaction, the Government, after considering the merits of the question, at the recommendation of Sir G-. Grey, then Governor, by Order in Council, made an award in the proportion of sixteen acres to every absentee, a list of whom was made out, at a large meeting of about three hundred Natives assembled in Wellington for the purpose in 1867, from information supplied by members of each tribe. It has been found to be now impossible to ascertain the names of the Natives in whose favour Mr Eichmond's promises were made, or even to discover where they are. The estimates of the number of absentees of each tribe appear to have been made by him at the time of the promise from some information then given, whether accurate or not it is not now possible to decide. There are some imperfect lists in the possession of the Native Office at New Plymouth, but the Commissioner is assured that they are entirely unreliable. It is certain also that many who were absentees when the promises were made have returned to the district, and have been included in tribal reserves made by the Commissioner or at other times. Among these are undoubtedly the Chatham Islanders (Ngatiawa), the bulk of whom have been allocated on special blocks between the Urenui and Mimi Rivers. The Commissioner has made every effort to clear up the difficulty, but without success. Among others he has consulted Major Parris, Mr. Eennell, and Mr. Alex. Mackay, the latter of whom, from his connection with Native affairs in the Middle Island, would be able to throw light upon it if any one could, and he has made special search among his records without success. Very little interest in the subject appears to exist either among any absentees that there may be, or among the resident members of the same tribes. This is probably owing to the fact that the individual interest of the class is so small, only sixteen acres each, as to be scarcely worth claiming. The course which the Commissioner has thought it best to pursue is to have reserves surveyed and allocated to each of the tribes entitled under Mr Eichmond's promise (except the Puketapu, who sold out to the Government, receiving their interest in money), but not to recommend any further action till the Government may be able (if it ever is) to ascertain who are the proper persons to become grantees. The reserves have accordingly been surveyed, and plans are herewith forwarded. Considering the fact above alluded to, of the small dimensions of the interest of each absentee, it would probably be a good course for the Government to arrange with any claimants who might turn up for the purchase of their allotments, as was done in the case of .the Puketapus. In