No. 4.
James Mackay, Junr., Civil Commissioner, to the Hon. Native Minister, Wellington.
Sir,—
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th ultimo, No. 260-2, stating that four Natives, named, respectively, Ihaia Tainui, Arapata Horau, Wi Makarini, and Moroati were pressing a claim for further payment on account of the purchase of the West Coast Block, effected by me in the year 1860, and requesting me to inform you whether I made any promise of a further payment to them, or made any stipulation with respect to taking roads over the reserves.
In reply, I have the honor to state that, to the best of my recollection, I made no promise of any further payment for the Block alluded to, and I think the deed itself recites that it was a final one.
With regard to the roads over the reserves, I believe there was a stipulation made in a memorandum about them, that the Government should have a right of road through them, but of this I cannot be certain.
I have, &c.,
James Mackay, Junr.,
Civil Commissioner.