G.—7

2

The lands originally set apart for Native purposes within the aforesaid blocks, and subsequently augmented by additional areas, are detailed in Schedules A and B attached. The total quantity reserved in the first place in Kemp's Block was 6,359 acres ; this acreage was subsequently augmented by additional areas which increased the quantity to 8,209 acres ; and in 1868 the average was further enlarged by awards of the Native Land Court to the extent of 4,465 acres, the whole computing a total of 12,670 acres. This area added to 5,937 acres set apart in the County of Westland in 1860, and 3,100 acres awarded to the Kaiapoi Natives as compensation for portions of their reserve granted to non-resident Natives, computes a total of 21,717 acres finally set apart in Kemp's Block. In computing the aforesaid total I have included the area set apart in tlie County of Westland, because that county is situated within the boundaries of Kemp's Block, but the reserves in the aforesaid county were set apart for a specific purpose, and are not connected with the lands reserved in terms of Kemp's deed, as the following extract from a despatch from Governor Gore Browne to His Grace the Duke of Newcastle will show:— " Government House, Auckland, New Zealand, 22nd February, 1860. " My Lokd Duke, — " 6. Mr. Mackay, the Native Agent in the Middle Island, recently discovered that the Native title over a tract of seven and half millions of acres at Arahura, on the West Coast, which was supposed to have been included in former purchases, had not been extinguished, and succeeded in doing so for the almost nominal sum of £200. The Natives to whom it belonged did not exceed one hundred souls, and I much desired to have given them individual Crown grants for part of the reserve, carefully defining them, and making them inalienable, but in the existing state of the law I was unable to do more than make a reserve for them of 10,000 acres which I directed to be carefully selected. " I have, &c, T. Gobe Bkowne." It will be seen from the above extract that the reserves made on the West Coast are entirely distinct from those made on the eastern side of the dividing range, and were specially set apart for the Natives found residing at the several settlements in that portion of the South Island now known as the County of Westland. Part of the 10,000 acres alluded to in His Excellency's despatch are situated in the Province of Nelson, to the north of Kemp's Block. The aforesaid extract exemplifies the marked difference in the treatment of the Natives in the two different localities : on the East Coast the Natives who ceded over twenty millions of acres for a nominal sum, and the promise of ample reserves, numbered 637 individuals, and were allotted 6,359 acres in 1848 ; whereas the 100 individuals on the West Coast were allotted 10,000 acres in 1860. In the one case the 637 received under ten acres per individual, while the 100 individuals were allotted 100 acres each. The circumstances were similar in both cases, only a r.ominal sum was paid, and in the case of the West Coast purchase this was the cause that actuated Governor Browne to have a larger quantity of land reserved for the Natives, as the following extract from the evidence given by Mr. James Mackay before the Native-land Laws Commission tends to show : — In reply to a question from Mr. Eees relative to the acquisition of the aforesaid land as to the price given for it, Mr. Mackay stated: Three hundred pounds was the price given, and 10,000 acres were set aside as reserves. There were only about a hundred and ten Natives in the whole district. Itwas practically unoccupied territory. Sir Donald McLean was of opinion that there was only a handful of Natives altogether, about thirty, and I was sent down to deal only for 2,000 acres of reserves and £200. But the Natives wanted to have reserved for themselves all the land between the Grey and Hokitika Eivers, to the source of both; the most valuable portion of the land. I returned in 1859 and saw Governor Gore Browne. He said it was an absurd price, but that it was his duty to see that there were sufficient reserves. His words were : "The reserves would be of greater value to the Natives when the rest of the district was occupied, than if the whole country was left in its then condition." . . . I experienced considerable difficulty at all the settlements visited, owing to the scope of the Commission being limited to an inquiry as to the landless condition of the Natives, and ignoring the larger claim that formed the subject of the supplementary Commission issued to me on the 20th July, 1886., viz., to inquire " as to whether the Natives were willing or desirous of accepting a grant of land in final settlement of any claim or demand on the Government for the non-fulfilment of any of the terms and conditions of the said purchases, or of any promises made in connection therewith, and to recommend in what quantities and in what localities land should be set apart for such purpose." Eeference to my report of the sth May, 1887 will show that I made a recommendation as to the quantity that should be set apart in satisfaction of the claim, but did not indicate the localities in which the land could be selected, as the time at my disposal was too limited for the purpose. At all the settlements I was met with the statement, "That the people were weary of the continued delay; the Government were well acquainted with the nature of their grievance, but seemed to find some reason for perpetually postponing the settlement of it. These continual postponements seemed to indicate that the object was to delay matters until the Natives had all clied out. Their old people had nearly all gone ; the few that were left when the land was ceded to the Government could now be easily counted. All the principal men who had taken a prominent part in the past to effect a settlement of their claims had all passed away, and it would seem that the object was merely to pacify and amuse the people until they all died out. Probably this was the object of the periodical counting (taking the census) : Government appeared to be desirous of ascertaining how long it would be bofore the race became extinct. There had been numerous