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An Epitome of Official Documents Relative to Native Affairs and Land Purchases in the North Island of New Zealand

The Purchase of Native Lands. — Mr. James Mackay, Jun., to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works

The Purchase of Native Lands.
Mr. James Mackay, Jun., to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works.

Coromandel and Hauraki.—Respecting the purchase of Native Lands. New Zealand Native Land Agency,
Auckland, 24th January, 1872.

Sir,—

Referring to the conversation which took place between us on the subject of the purchase and acquisition by the Crown of Native Lands in the Hauraki and Upper Waikato Districts, I have the honor to submit to you the following report as to the blocks it may be deemed advisable to acquire; also as to the plan which I would recommend to be pursued for the accomplishment of that object through my Agency.

In order to arrive at a correct conclusion as to the present state of the lands proposed to be acquired, it will be advisable to place them under three heads, viz.:—

1st. Lands within the proclaimed goldfields at Hauraki and Coromandel, which form the subject of agreements between the Natives and the Crown for gold mining purposes.

2nd. Lands within the Hauraki District, not included in the proclaimed goldfields, and which do not form the subject of agreement between the Native and the Crown for gold mining purposes.

3rd. Lands in the Upper Thames and Upper Waikato Districts held by Hauhau and obstructive Natives, some portions of which have been leased to Europeans for the depasturage of stock.

The lands under the first head are contained in the Cape Colville, Tokatea, Kennedy Bay, Tiki or Ngaurukehu, Waiau and Matawai, Manaia North, Manaia South, Waikawau, Whakatete, Tararu, Karaka, Otunui, Whakairi, Kirikiri, and Puriri Blocks.

1. Cape Colville Block.

This is of considerable extent; the area of unsold lands may be roughly estimated at 50,000 acres. After deducting the pieces required for Native reserves, the area available for settlement is but limited, the greater proportion of the block being hilly, timbered country—unfit for cultivation. Gold has at various times been discovered in several places within its limits, but no mining claims are at present page 323occupied there. Some pieces of land have been sold to Europeans, but they form but a small proportion to the whole. The kauri timber at Cabbage Bay, Tangiaro, Matamataharakeke, and the northern portion of Kennedy Bay has been sold to Europeans owning saw-mills. I have surveyors employed on the external boundaries of this block at the present time. The title is much disputed.

2 Tokatea Block.

This is the most valuable portion of the Coromandel Goldfield at present worked. The probable extent is 15,000 acres. This land is leased by the Native owners to the Crown at the annual rental of £500. All the available kauri timber, excepting that situated near Paul's Creek, has been cut by sawmill proprietors. Mr. Gibbon's mill at Kikowhakarere has been recently removed, and that of Mr. Charles Ring is principally employed to drive quartz-crushing machinery. There is no available agricultural land on this block, other than what is in the hands of European settlers, or is required for Native reserves. This block would be difficult to acquire in consequence of its known value. No accurate survey has been made of it.

3 Kennedy Bay Block.

This block was formerly surveyed at Government expense, and contains about 9,500 acres. No further outlay for surveys will be required, excepting the repayment to me of the sum of £25 expended on some alterations, and a plan which was made, by Mr. Gwynneth, licensed surveyor, in order to meet the requirements of "The Native Lands Act." This block contains sufficient available land for Native reserves; and there is a flat in addition of about 600 acres, formerly leased to Messrs. Cruickshank and Smart, but now abandoned by them, which is suitable for a town site and settlement. The remainder—say, 8,000 acres—is mining country of considerable value, and should, if possible, be acquired at once, as delay will increase the difficulty of purchase. The kauri timber on a portion of this block has been sold to Messrs. Cruickshank and Smart, who own a saw-mill there.

4 Kapanga Block.

The largest part of this, which adjoins the Tokatea Block, belongs to the Government. The remainder, about 775 acres, was granted to the late Pita Taurua; who is succeeded by a boy of about five years of age. The land is of no value for agricultural purposes. The kauri timber on about 583 acres of it has been leased to Mr. Alfred Jerome Cadman, who has a sawmill on the Karaka Stream. There are several quartz reefs within the block, which have not been tested. Gold has been found in small quantities, but there are no claims at present occupied. It would be advisable to purchase this block, as it adjoins Government land; the difficulty, however, appears to be the inability of a minor to dispose of it. The lands south of the Kapanga Block belong to Europeans as far as the Tiki or Ngaurukehu Block.

5 Tiki or Ngaurukehu Block.

This consists of two pieces of land granted to Natives, and known as the Waiau No. 1, and Motutere; the former contains 1,098 acres, and the latter 240 acres. These are separated by a piece about 600 acres, granted to the late Mr. W. B. Moore. There is no land on this block suitable for agricultural purposes; there is some good kauri timber on it, and several gold-mining claims have been and are now successfully worked within its limits. The owners are not inclined to sell their land, and, from the known value of the Waiau No. 1 portion, a large price would in any case be demanded.

6 Waiau and Matawai Block.

This adjoins the Motutere portion of the Tiki and Ngaurukehu Blocks, and may be estimated to contain 1,500 acres of hilly land, all the available kauri timber on which has been cut by the owners of the Waiau Sawmill. Gold has been found in the Matawai Stream, but not in any quantity in the Block. The lands to the southward and to the westward of this piece are the property of the Crown, and it would be desirable to acquire it to consolidate the Government property in that neighbourhood. This block requires to be surveyed.

7 Manaia North Block.

This block belongs to a section of the Ngatimaru tribe. The area of the land not occupied by Natives or required for reserves may be estimated at about 3,000 acres of hilly country. Gold has been found in small quantities within it, but no payable claim has hitherto been discovered. This piece is bounded on the South by the Manaia South Block. This Block requires to be surveyed.

8 Manaia South Block.

This block may be estimated to contain, exclusive of the large reserves required by the Tawera tribe about six or seven thousand acres of hilly land. Gold has been discovered in small quantities in streams on this block, but no payable claims have been discovered. This piece is bounded on the South by the Waikawau Block. This block requires to be surveyed.

9 Waikauau Block.

This may be estimated to contain about 60,000 acres of land, the greater part of which is of broken description. There are a few patches of land available for cultivation on the banks of the numerous streams which intersect it; but these bear but a small proportion to the whole. The best pieces of land for settlement are at Te Puru and Wainui, but these have been either sold to Europeans or are required for Native reserves. Probably not more than 2,000 acres of this block have been granted under the Native Lands Act. The town of Hastings and the Tapu Creek diggings are within it. There is reason to believe that a very large proportion of the land is of an auriferous character. The available kauri timber in the neighbourhood of the Waikawau and Mata streams has been sold to Captain Daldy, who owns a large and valuable saw-mill at Waikawau. The kauri timber at Otuturu has been sold to Mr. Hector McKenzie, and that at Waipukapuka to Mr. Thomas Kelly. The survey of this block is in a forward state, having been undertaken by Captain Daldy and myself page 324with a view to purchasing the whole block from the Natives, subject to the Government agreements with them respecting gold mining. We are, however, prepared to waive our claims on condition of Captain Daldy receiving a title to the timber heretofore purchased by him, and a piece of 400 acres of land adjacent to the Waikawau saw-mill, and 50 acres at the booms on the Mata stream, and our being repaid the cost of survey and the deposits paid by us to the Natives on various pieces within the block, less the proportional cost of the 450 acres before mentioned. The pieces of 400 and 50 acres respectively required by Captain Daldy to be excluded from the operation of "The Mining District Act, 1871." It is anticipated that no additional Native reserves will be required, as there are considerable holdings at Kereta and Matariki immediately north of this block, which with the pieces already mentioned at Te Puru and Wainui are sufficient for Native requirements in that neighbourhood.

The survey at present in progress is merely of the external boundaries, and some sub-divisional lines will probably have to be cut in consequence of troublesome disputes between the hapus of Ngatitamatera as to internal boundaries. Immediately south of the Waikawau Block is that known as Te Wharau or Wairuaterangi, which has been purchased by the Crown.

10 Whakatete Block.

This is a triangular-shaped piece of small extent, probably 1,000 acres; the only valuable portion of the frontage of which has been granted to the Native owners. The remainder is very rough, hilly land, and is not approved of by gold miners for its auriferous character. It might be desirable to purchase this land, if the Tararu district is acquired, so as to connect Te Wharau, or Wairuaterangi Block with Tararu. As Te Wharau on the north, and Tararu on the south, have been surveyed, it may be assumed that the cost of survey of this portion will be small, as most of the lines are already defined on the ground.

11 Tararu Block.

This block consists of two pieces, known as Tararu North and Tararu South, which have been surveyed by the Native owners, the total area of the two being about 3,500 acres. This land is of known auriferous character, and is likely to support a large mining population. The title is not disputed, but the Natives are not disposed to sell it. No reserves are required, the land being of a class unfit for Native or other cultivation. The kauri timber from Tinker's Gully to the source of the Tararu Stream has been sold to the Moanataiari Water Supply Company.

12 Karaka Block.

This contains all the most valuable claims on the Thames Goldfield, also the Towns of Grahamstown and Shortland. The townships are chiefly private property, and it would not be advisable to interfere with existing arrangements. A large portion of the land, amounting to 1,600 acres, exclusive of townships, has been surveyed under my directions, and the unsurveyed remainder may be estimated at 1,000 acres. The difficulty of purchasing this block cannot be easily estimated, as the owners have been in the habit of receiving about £5,000 per annum for miners rights fees alone. There is no unsold land within this block fit for any purpose other than mining.

13 Otunui Block.

This is unsurveyed, but may be estimated to contain from 3,000 to 7,000 acres. The land is not suitable for agricultural purposes. Gold has been found on it in small quantities, but no claims are at present occupied, which may be attributed to tho want of means of communication by a practicable road, and the absence of any machinery for extracting the gold from the quartz. The Kauri timber on the banks of the Mangakirikiri and Mangarebu Streams has been purchased by Europeans.

14 Whakairi Block.

This block is under survey by my direction, and is estimated to contain 35,000 acres. There is but a very small proportion of it suitable for settlement. Probably some portion of it is auriferous, but at present the gold miners have but a poor opinion of it in that respect. The kauri timber has been purchased by a company at Auckland, who intend erecting a sawmill at Shortland, which will be a great boon to the Thames Goldfield.

15 Kirikiri Block.

This block has not been surveyed, but probably contains about 5,000 acres. The land is not fit for agricultural purposes, and is not in favour with the gold miners. Small quantities of gold have been found in the Kirikiri River, but no claims are held within the block. The kauri timber has been sold to Mr. John Gibbons. The large reserve to the westward of the goldfield boundary contains more land than is required by the Native owners for cultivation and settlements. Any surplus would be suitable for European occupation for ordinary agricultural purposes.

16 Te Puriri Block.

The same remarks as made in the previous case (Kirikiri Block) apply to this block, with the exception that gold has been found at Te Puriri in payable quantities, and the kauri timber has not been sold. The land has not been surveyed. The probable area is 10,000 acres.