33

Gr.—l

2. The Anglican Church Grant. In 1853 Sir George Grey granted a number of the Native-reserve sections at Motueka—in all, 918 acres —to the Bishop of New Zealand as an endowment for an industrial school for the education of children of both races, and of children of other poor and destitute persons being inhabitants of islands in the Pacific Ocean. The land was conveyed by two deeds of grant, the first of which was dated 25th July, 1853, covering 660 acres, and the second, dated 4th August, 1853, covering 418 acres and 5 perches. The total area granted was thus 1,078 acres and 5 perches, of which 160 acres was Crown land, and 918 acres and 5 perches Native reserves^ 1 )

A school had already been established at Motueka in 1849 for Native pupils by the Board of Management for Native Reserves, and placed under the charge of the Rev. T. L. Tudor, the resident clergyman of the Church of England. A farm was also established in conjunction with the school, and an instructor appointed for the purpose of training the lads in agricultural pursuits. In his evidence taken by the Religious, Charitable, and Educational Trusts Commission in 1849 the Rev. Tudor stated that — " A school had been established in Motueka by the Commissioners of Native Reserves, which was placed under my management before the grants were issued. Some time after the school had been established Sir George Grey came over to Motueka. I told him what we were doing there. He said he would make some grants of land to support the school. About a week or two afterwards the official notice arrived of the grants having been made. As far as I know, Sir George Grey went himself to the Land Office and decided upon the selection of the reserves. ... All the children at the school were Maoris. The latter part of the time the children boarded at the school—both boys and girls."( 2 ) The grant caused much dissatisfaction in Nelson, and was certainly not appreciated by the local Natives. It formed the subject of discussion in the Nelson Provincial Council, and a committee was set up to inquire into the matter. As a result of the Committee's findings a memorial was forwarded by the Speaker, on behalf of the Council, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, praying that the necessary steps might be taken to set aside the grant, for the following reasons :— " (1) Because a great deal of the reserves set aside for the benefit of the Natives for purposes other than those contemplated by the terms of purchase of tlie Nelson Settlement, whereby the funds arising from the same are liable to be expended for the benefit of Europeans and of Natives throughout the Pacific islands, is a violation of the contract in virtue of which the settlement was founded. " (2) Because by endowing with public lands an institution for educating and industrial training the utmost care should be taken that public property is not made subservient to sectarian religious teaching, and a blow thereby given to religious equality ; but that an institution so founded should be established on a basis which will admit children of all sects and creeds to partake of its advantages. Whereas the grant given to the Bishop of New Zealand and his successors of nearly 1,100 acres of the most valuable land in the district of Motueka is made over (without this necessary restriction) to the head of a particular Church who may use it as an instrument of proselytism and religious aggrandisement. " That the Council does not question, in the smallest degree, the philanthropic feeling which induced Sir George Grey to endow the institution in question, neither is the Council aware that the Bishop is cognisant of the grant, but for the reasons hereinbefore set forth the Council is of the opinion that His Excellency in his anxiety

(') Taken from copies of deeds of grant. Grant I : Crown grant to Lord Bishop of New Zealand. Reg. Nelson, Vol. ID, Pt. I, No. 599; dated, 25th July, 1853. Grant 2: Vol. 1 I), Pt. L, 110, No. 600: dated 4th August, 1853. ( 2 ) Third Report of the Religious, Charitable, and Educational Trusts Commission : Appendix to Journal, House of Representatives, 1870, A—No. 3.

s—Gr.5 —Gr. 1.

Schedule of Native Reserves included in Grant. Schedule of Native Reserves included in Grant. | Number of Acres Number of Acres I appropriated out of I I appropriated out of Number of . Block of each Section. ' Number of I Block of each Section. Section. | Ared> j Section. j Section. \ Area " I Section. 1 ! I : 1! . . I 1 ! Acres. a. r. p. Acres. a. r. p. 6 50 6 50 0 0 164 50 \ , n 9d 22 50 22 50 0 0 181 50 f 137 50 \ r inn n n 218 ' 50 1 138 50/ 1 100 0 0 210 50 I 145 50 I 220 50 ! 146 50 y M 29 0 32 221 . 50 rAA „ „ 147 50 J 223 50 I •• 500 0 0 157 50 1 4 2 29 240 50 169 50 K 7 0 0 241 50 160 50 \ F 102 o n 242 50 161 50/ 1 102 0 0 243 50 j 163 50/ H ! 41 0 0 Total 91g Q g (Copy of grant, Mackay's Compendium, Vol. 2, p. 302.)