Notes on Sir William Martin's Pamphlet Entitled the Taranaki Question
Page 33
Page 33.
"We have seen that in the official statement."…………
It is true that failing other proprietary claims being preferred, the Government assumed to have extinguished the title of the real owners. But the Government never assumed this in the sense of excluding or denying the proprietary claim of any one who might show that he possessed it. The Government constantly invited such claims, and on the 29th November 1859, when the first instalment was paid to Teira, Rauponga, and the other sellers, a memorandum was read expressly saving the rights of every one having a proprietary claim and not assenting to the sale. The memorandum was as follows:—"If any other person can prove that he owns any part of the land within the boundaries above described, his claim will be respected, and lie will be allowed to retain or sell the same as he may think proper."