A.—4

10

Report on the above Eour Cases. Those claims being withdrawn by the claimant, no grant is recommended. Coromandel Harbour, 17th June, 1844. Edward L. Godfrey, Commissioner. Evidence. Coromandel Harbour, 23rd May, 1844. William Webster, the claimant, states : I withdraw the above claims. Wm. Webster. No. 305e being identical with No. 32.— E. L. Godfrey. Taken in Court, 23rd May, 1844.— E. L. Godfrey.

Case No. 305g.—William Webstee, of Coromandel Harbour, Claimant. A portion of land (extent not stated). Bounded on the North-west by Point Eodney, on the South-east by Point Tawharunui, running from each, point westerly to a mount called Pukemore; on the East by the sea: being about eight miles frontage, and running back eight miles. Alleged to have been purchased from the Native chiefs Kaukoti, Kupenga, Tanaroa, and others ; date of purchase not stated. Consideration given to the Natives: Merchandise to the value of £490. Nature of conveyance : Deed in favour of claimant. Report.—The Commissioners have the honour to report, for tho information of His Excellency the Governor, that, from the accompanying evidence taken in Claim No. 305g, they are of opinion that William Webster made a bona fide purchase from the Native chiefs Ngauranga, Poroto, and others in the year 1839 of a tract of land situated at Point Rodney. The supposed contents, 10,000 acres. The payment made to the Natives for this land appears to have been in January, 1839 : Cash, nil; goods, £140 Bs. Sydney prices x 3 = £421 4s. A deed of sale was executed by the above-named chiefs and others, and they have admitted the payment they received and the alienation of the land. The execution of the deed and the above payment have been proved by Lachlan A. McCaskill. The Commissioners therefore respectfully recommend that a grant for 1,944 acres of the above-described land should be issued to William Webster, his heirs and assigns, for ever, excepting 100 feet from high-water mark. M. Richmond, ) r .... Dated at Wellington, this 18th day of December, 1843. Edward L. Godfrey,} commissioners. Evidence. Hauraki, Thames, Ist July, 1843. William Webster, of Coromandel Harbour, being duly sworn, states: I claim the land described in the deed before tho Court. It is situate at Point Rodney, and contains about 10,000 acres. It is bounded as follows :On the North-west by Point Rodney, on the South-east by Point Tawharanui, running from each point westerly to a mount called Pukemore ; and on the East by the sea. I purchased this land in the latter end of 1838 or beginning of 1839, from the Native chiefs Ngauranga, Poroto, and others, for the payment specified in the deed, with the exception of the blankets and muskets, which have not been given. The payment was made at different times ; the latest, lam certain, was in the year 1539. I have expended about £200 in buildings and improvements on this property, and have had an agent residing upon it for three years. This purchase has not been disputed since I made it by either European or Native, but some Natives from the Bay of Islands made a claim in the year 1839, which I satisfied. Sworn before me, this Ist day of July, 1843. —M. Richmond. Wm. Webster.

Case No. 305h.—William Webstee, of Coromandel Harbour, Claimant. (3,000) Three thousand acres, more or less, situated near the River Tairua, Bay of Plenty, commencing one quarter of a mile to the northward of a creek called Punaruku, and running along the beach one-quarter of a mile to the southward of another creek called Tekaro, and running southwest from each corner boundary to the summit of a hill called Pourewa. Alleged to have been purchased from the Native chiefs Ko Hokianga, Ko Pehi, Nghaware, Tengahahu, on the 23rd November, 1839. Consideration given to the Natives : Merchandise to the value of £450. Nature of conveyance : Deed in favour of claimant. Report.—The Commissioner has the honour to report, for the information of His Excellency tho Governor, that, from the accompanying evidence taken in Claim No. 305h, he is of opinion that a tract of land thus described, near the River Tairua, in the Bay of Plenty—Commencing a quarter of a mile north of Creek Punaruku, and running along the beach a quarter of a mile to tho southward of Crook Tekaro, and south-west from each boundary to a hill called Te Pourewa —was not purchased from the rightful owners. Therefore no grant is recommended. Auckland, 29th August, 1844. Edward L. Godfrey, Commissioner. Memorandum. —Although the amount of payment to the Natives is stated in Deed No. 1 to be £450, the Natives examined only admit to the value of £169 35.; and, as the claimant has already received grants exceeding the maximum, no compensation for this admitted outlay, in land elsewhere, has been awarded. Evidence. William Webster, Claimant. Hauraki, 6th July, 1843. James Preeoe, of Hauraki, being duly sworn, states: That is my signature as witness to the deed before the Court. I saw both the Native chiefs sign; it was read and explained to them before they affixed their marks ; they appeared to understand it and were satisfied. 1 saw all the payment specified on tho back of the deed given to them at the time they signed, with the exception of the four last items—viz., two double-barrelled guns, £20 cash, 180 flasks of fine powder, and four double-barrelled guns. Tho payment I saw made was on the date of the deed—23rd November, 1839. Ido not know the land sufficiently well as to state if tho boundaries are correctly described in the deed. Sworn before me this 6th day of July, 1843. —M. Richmond. James Preece. Coromandel Harbour, 23rd May, 1844.* William Webster, being duly sworn, states : I claim a piece of land situate in the Bay of Plenty, near the River Tairua, commencing one quarter of a mile north of a creek called Punaruku, and running along the beach one quarter of a rnilo to the southward of a creek called Tekaro, and running south-west from each boundary to a hill called Te Pourewa. The supposed contents, 2,000 acres. I purchased it on the 23rd November, 1839, from the Native chief Hokianga and others, and paid them £20 cash, and the goods stated in the copy of the deed of sale which I now exhibit and deposit with the Court. The original deed has been mislaid, but I declare that tho copy I deposit is a true copy. My possession of this tract has never been contested by either Natives or Europeans. I have cut timber off this land for several years. Wm. Webster. Taken in Court, 23rd May, 1844.— E. L. Godfrey.

* Major Eiehmond being sent to Wellington, the investigation of this case was concluded by Colonel Godfrey.