37

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to go on the railway-line to get to the road, Mr. Spencer's land lying between them and the road. He asks that some arrangement might be made by which they can get a right-of-way through this man's land to the main road. There is a block of land owned by a Maori through which four roads have been taken. These roads were taken over the block of land not as public roads but as private roads. The reason why they were able to take these four roads over the one block of land was because the Government gave them the power to do so; if the Government had not agreed to it it could not have been done ; therefore he asks the Government to consider this case and find a road out for the Natives. This Mr. Spencer, who will not grant these people a road, has been a member of the Council, and he has solicited the Maoris to give up portions of their lands for roads. Mr. Spencer was one who was most strenuous in getting the main county road put through over Maori land. When Mr. Bryce had a meeting, a Native stood up and said that Spencer had offered him a buggy to allow the road to go through his land. Now, according to this, Mr. Spencer really owes the Natives a buggy, and he ought to make up for this by giving the Natives a road. Another matter is, that when the Native Volunteers were, disbanded they returned the rifles, except two, which were missing, but were paid for; the missing rifles have since turned up, and the Natives ask to be allowed to keep them. They also ask that one of the targets that was given by Sir Donald McLean may be given to them, and also a small supply of ammunition to practice with. There is a block of land called Kahakaharoa. Before the land went through the Court it was occupied by some Europeans, but he (Nahe) heard that the Government leased it to the Europeans. These Europeans have a number of cattle running upon it, and they have cut down the timber. He thought that the rents which have been paid on that block, or which have accumulated, is a largo amount. After the land went through the Court Nahe's people were found to be the owners of it. The European who was living on it was named J. Lewin. The Native owners of the land wish that they should receive what has come out of it in the way of payments for the timber, or rent. With reference to the Court to be held at the Thames, Nahe said it was proposed that this Court should only be for land about which there is no dispute. Pepene said he had three things to remark about : the first one is in connection with Te Aroha.* They sent in applications concerning that during the past year. The reply was, that a Court should be granted for it, but afterwards Mr. Gill stopped it. What they wish is, that this land should be brought before the Court, and then it would come out in Court whether the Government has obtained that portion of the land. Mr. Gill said that the Ngaiterangi people sold this land to the Government. They replied, " You and the Ngaiterangi come into Court and prove that." Mr. Gill said, "No ; Ido not agree to have it before the Court." If this matter is brought into the Court it will be settled at once, and if they lose they will drop it. If this is not done they will continually press for a Court. They object to the hearing being stopped by Mr. Gill. What they want is that the Government should not interfere to stop the hearing. The second word is regarding Tiepa, a piece of land within the Te Aroha Block. There has been a great deal of disputing about this land. Ho thinks this should be allowed to go into the Court also. The remarks made about Te Aroha apply also to this piece. The third matter is regarding the hot springs at Te Aroha. He complains that they are charged when they go to bathe there. If this regulation is allowed to exist it is really overriding the original agreement that they had with the Government. This statement about admitting them free was only a verbal one. Messrs. Wilkinson and Mackay conducted the arrangement. Tamati Paetai said that he was one who threw open his land for the county road. The reason was that a law was made then that the Maoris should not be charged rates. That arrangement extended wherever the road went, up to the end of the Hauraki boundary. They want to have a distinct assurance that they will not be charged rates. The road has been laid off to go over their lands. They want the agreement by which they were not to be charged rates to be enforced in the future. Another subject is in reference to the Wharekawa No. 1 Block on the East Coast. It was originally leased by Hohepa Paraone and Miriama Konehu to Mr. O'Keefe. At that time it had neither been surveyed nor passed through the Court; subsequently it was passed through the Court and given in favour of two grantees. The grantees were Hohepa Paraone and Miriama Konehu. The lease of O'Keefe lapsed, and the land was then purchased by the Government—that is, Hohepa Paraone's share. They have searched in the bill of the sale but find that Miriama Konehu's name is not there. The reason he mentions it is that Miriama Konehu is dead and he (Tamati Paetai) has been appointed by the Court as trustee for the younger child. Kapihana te Tuhi spoke about the land at Te Puriri. This land was purchased by the Commissioner with pipes and Bibles, and other trivial articles, and they now want to know how they can get the land back again. He also objected to the dog-tax being collected from him. There is another matter in connection with the block called Taparahi Nos. I and 2. The Tairua Company surveyed their land and it was put through the Court. He mentioned this in order that the Court might not give judgment against him. The company have done this because they wanted to include a lot of kauri timber in their block. The company has purchased the No. 1 Block, but No. 2is still in the hands of the Maoris, but the company have taken in a portion of it. Another matter is concerning a block of land at Oroua. The old survey has been ignored altogether, and the new line has been put in another place. Tamati Waka spoke about Wairua te Eangiatapu, over which a road has been run by the Council. He thinks the road through the Totara should be sufficient, and that the other should not be gone on with. Another matter is in connection with the final payment on the Moehau gold field block. The Government has some money that he ought to have. Wiremu Turipona said he wanted to speak about the lighthouse at Pokohinu, to which he has a claim. It is for the Government to prove that he has no ownership.

* Land between the eastern boundary of Te Aroha Block and the western boundary of the Katikati and Te Puni purchase.—G.T.W.