Statement by Hence Te Nerekau and Hare Hemi Taharape.

"This is what was publicly said to Dr. Featherston on the 5th April. These are the words of Ngatiraukawa against the sale of Rangitikei:—

Dr. Featherston, listen attentively. Act justly towards those within your Province. Ngatiapa were desirous of selling this laud on a former occasion. Ngatiraukawa refused to let it be sold, and it was not sold. They permitted the opposite side of the River Rangitikei to be sold. It was sold to Governor Grey. Ngatiapa were satisfied. The River Rangitikei constituted the boundary. Subsequently lhakara wished to sell Manawatu. Ngatiraukawa assented to his wish, and Manawatu was sold to Governor Browne. The boundary began at Kaiwi thence to Omarupapako, and continued to Pukingahau, where it ended. This was the permanent boundary. Afterwards Te Hirawanu sold the upper part of Manawatu. Ngatiraukawa assented, and that was sold to Governor Grey during his second government of page xc New Zealand; Te Hirawanu was satisfied, and the boundary was fixed at Mangawharawhara, Te Kotopiko, and Paripu wha, above Oroua, where it ended. This was a permanent boundary. This land which you are wishing to purchase we will never allow you to purchase—this must be kept for our support. It must be carefully subdivided. We will pay the surveyor and assist him.

Dr. Featherston made no reply whatever to these statement? of ours.

On the 12th April we, Ngatiraukawa, stood in the presence of Dr. Featherston and expressed our opinions strongly. 'Dr. Featherston, do not purchase our land without our assent, lest you do wrong. If there be any dispute about our land, let it remain as it is. Let a law court act that it may be finally settled, because a court has been established for Maori lands. Do not pull a man down by the back part of his head lest he have a had fall and death follow. For our land will not be given up to you to purchase, never. No work has ever been completed in wrong-doing. When it is agreed upon by those dwelling in the land, then a sale may be completed.'

Dr. Featherston replied : 'There are 800 men of Whanganui, 200 of Ngatiapa, 100 of Rangitane and Muaupoko tribes, which went with me to fight against the bad tribes. They have agreed to sell; this land has become mine; I will give them the money.'

Ngatiraukawa replied : 'We shall retain our own land, we shall not receive your money.'

On the 16th April we again stated our views to Dr. Featherston. 'Listen, Dr. Featherston : Do not give your money to those who are selling the land, but survey the land, that you may see the land belonging to those men who are selling; then you will be acting rightly, but you give your money first, to those who are selling the land, and then when you go with your chain to survey our lands, your chain will not touch the land—it will be interrupted. You, the pakeha will be angry without a cause, inasmuch as you are seizing our land illegally.

Withhold your money, lest it be the occasion of stirring up strife, and the people of this place be brought into trouble by you.'