G.— 4.

Sess. 11.—1887. NEW ZEALAND.

TONGARIRO AND RUAPEHU NATIONAL PARK (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO A GIFT OF PORTION OF).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Tb Heuheu Tukino to the Hon. the Native Ministee. E Pa, — Tapuaeharuru, Taupo, Hepetema 23, 1887. Tena koe. He kupu atu tena ki a koe, ara, he whakaatu kua maha nga ra c koreroreroana matou ko Te Euihi mo te Eahui whenua ka whakatapua nei mo te Iwi ki Tongariro, notemea c mohio ana matou he mea nui rawa taua mea, ai te mea hoki kihai ano nga whakaaro o etahi o nga tangata o taku iwi i tino marama ki taua mea. Na kua oti te wehe atu o taua whenua etc Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori, a kua whakataua nga tihi o Tongariro me Euapehu ki toku ingoa anake, kite tangata nona tenei whakatauki, "Ko Tongariro te maunga, ko Taupo te moana, ko Ngatituwharetoa te iwi, ko Te Heuheu te tangata." E hoa, kua hainatia c ahau te pukapuka i homai nei eTe Euihi ki toku aroaro hei whakapumau ite tukunga atu o taua whenua hei whenua tapu mo te iwi katoa kia rite ai kite hiahia ote Kawanatanga me taku kupu hoki i whakapuakina nei c au ki a koe i Eotorua. Engari c rua aku kupu hei whakaatu ki a koe. Tuatahi—Ko taku papa ko Te Heuheu Tukino i horongia nei kite Eapa kei runga i taua maunga c takoto ana, a, c mea ana ahau me whakaneke mai ia ki tetahi wahi ke atu. Ko taua tangata, otira c mohio ana koe he rangatira nui rawa, a, he mea tika kia mania c te Kawanatanga tetahi urupa kohatu mona, i te mea kahore ahau me toku iwi c kaha kite mahi mea pera mona. Kua whakaae to hoa aTe Euihi ki tenei kupu aku, ana whakaae mai hoki koe. Taku kupu tuarua —koia tenei —Kua kaumatuatia ahau, ako nga whakahaere mo toku iwi kai taku tama kotahi kai a Tureiti te Heuheu Tukino, a, ko taku hiahia me whakamana, ara, me whakahua tonu tona ingoa ki roto kite Ture whakamana ite whenua ka whakatapua nei mo te Iwi ara, ko ia tonu te Kai-Tiaki hei riwhi mo toku turanga kai-tiaki i runga i taua maunga ana mate ahau, a kua whakaae mai hoki aTe Euihi ki tenei kupu aku, ana whakaae mai koe. Koia ena aku kupu kite Kawanatanga i taku tuhinga, ara i taku hainatanga ite pukapuka tuku atu i Tongariro me Euapehu hai whenua tapu mo te Iwi katoa, Pakeha me te Maori. Heoi ano. Na to hoa na, Xi a Te Paranihi, Te Heuheu Tukino. kite Minita mo te Taha Maori, Kei Poneke.

[Translation.] Sib, — Tapuaeharuru, Taupo, 23rd September, 1887. Greeting. This is to inform you that my people and I have spent several days in talking over with Mr. Lewis the subject of making Tongariro a national park, because we regard it as a matter of great importance, and, besides, the minds of some of my people were not clear on the subject. A division of that land has been made by the Native Land Court, and the same Court has. awarded the tops of the mountains Tongariro and Euapehu to me alone, because lam the person to whom the following proverb applies : " Tongariro, the mountain; Taupo, the sea (lake); Ngatituwharetoa, the tribe ; Te Heuheu, the man." Eriend, I have signed the deed laid before me by Mr. Lewis for the purpose of confirming the gift of that land as a national park, in accordance with the wish of the Government, and to fulfil my word spoken to you at Eotorua. I have, however, two words to make known to you —Eirst : My father, Te Heuheu Tukino, who was overwhelmed at Te Eapa, is laid on that mountain, and it. is my wish that he be removed to some other place. He was, as you know, a chief of very high rank, and it is right that the Government should erect a tomb for him, because both my people and I are unable to do so. Your friend Mr. Lewis has agreed to this word of mine, subject to your approval. The second word is, that lam an old man, and the affairs of my people are conducted by my only son, Tureiti te Heuheu Tukino :itis my wish that he be authorised, that is to say, that his name be, inserted in the National Park Act; that is, that he be the trustee appointed to succeed me after my death. Mr. Lewis has also agreed to this word of mine, subject to your approval.