No. 1.
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to the Chief Protector.

It being determined to send Mr. Edward Meurant to the chiefs of the Waikato tribe to treat with them relative to the purchase of a piece of land which they offer to sell to Her Majesty's Government on the banks of the Waipa, I have it in command from His Excellency the Governor to request that you will instruct that gentleman to proceed on Monday, the 8th November, to visit Waikato, Waipa, Whaingaroa, Aotea, Kawhia, and Mokau.

On his arrival at the place of his destination, he will have an interview with the chiefs of each of these places, and read to them the enclosed letter from the Governor. He will then examine the land which they are anxious to sell, making them clearly understand that the Governor wishes to preserve them in the undisturbed possession of their dwellings, cultivations, and such other portions of their land as they may wish to retain for their own use.

He will make himself acquainted with the names of the chiefs who have the right to sell the land, the extent of land they are willing to part with, and the price at which they value it. He will then appoint a day for the chiefs to assemble at Ngaruawahia, the place proposed by Te Wherowhero, to meet an officer of Her Majesty's Governments to treat finally for the possession of the land.

In the course of his communications with the chiefs he will use every endeavor to assure them of the good faith of the Government, and of the determination of the Governor to use no unfair means to deprive them of their lands. He will be as expeditious as possible in accomplishing the object of his journey, and on his return make a report to the Government, through you, of the success of his measures.

Should he find the chiefs willing to undertake to clear a road between Kawhia and Taranaki, he will express the Governor's wish that it should be done, and ascertain the amount of payment they will require for their work.

No. 2.
Mr. Commissioner Rogan to the Chief Commissioner.

I have the honor to inform you that the survey of Karioi, the land offered to the Government by the chief Hoani Papita and the Native owners in this district, is completed, and I have ascertained its area to be about twelve thousand (12,000) acres, exclusive of a Native reserve containing about six hundred (600) acres.

The Natives decided on retaining the whole of the water frontage, from the entrance of the harbour inland to the proposed township, and following Mr. Ligar's boundary for about two miles, which comprises nearly the whole of the available land in this block. The land southward of the Native reserve is rendered unavailable owing to a great number of ridges and ravines running from the top of the mountain to the sea, and the land on the opposite side of the mountain, towards the inland boundary, is formed in a similar manner. After due consideration, I offered the Natives a sum of Four hundred and seventy-five pounds (£475), One hundred pounds (£100) having been paid by you to the Native Kereopa by way of instalment on land within the present survey, known as the Hutiwai. They have unanimously declined this offer, and requested me to refer the question for your consideration.

I therefore respectfully request that you will favour me with a reply to this letter, in order that I may inform the Natives of your decision as to whether a sum in addition to that already offered will be given them.

No. 3.
The Chief Commissioner to Mr. Commissioner Rogan.

I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, reporting that you have completed the survey of Karioi, and find its area to be about 12,000 acres, for which you have offered the Natives a sum of Four hundred and seventy-five pounds (£475), in addition to a sum of One hundred pounds (£100) previously paid on account of a portion of that land at Hutiwai. I consider the offer you have made is very judicious, and you may acquaint the Natives that they must consider it as conclusive.

No. 4.
Mr. Commissioner Rogan to the Chief Commissioner.

I have the honor to submit to you, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, the following report on the Hauraki purchase.

Hauraki is situated in the Whaingaroa Harbour, and affords anchorage for vessels of moderate size off several points of the land as far inland as the entrance to Waitetuna River. It has altogether about six miles of water frontage, the greater part of which, however, is approachable only by boat at high water. It contains nine hundred acres (900) more or less, including one Native reserve about sixteen acres.

The features of the land are a number of low undulating ridges of hills, running from the centre towards the water's edge, with occasional flat valleys intervening; the whole of which is covered with fern, manuka scrub, and light bush, and the soil appears to be of superior quality.

The chief Potatau has received the sum of Fifty pounds (£50) on 25th July, 1854, as a first payment for the same.

The principal claimants residing in the district are two parties who dispute each other's right to 200 acres. With a view to settle the difference between these people, I proposed that they should meet and discuss the question in the presence of the resident missionary, to which they agreed; but the Ngatimahanga claimants only attended, who demanded Fifty pounds (£50) for their portion of the payment. I offered them Ten pounds (£10), which was refused.

The Ngatitamainu claimants, relatives of Te Wherowhero, who are, in my opinion, the real owners of the land in dispute, expressed to me their intention of visiting Auckland soon, for the purpose of arranging with you for their claims.

The enclosed sketch plan will explain more distinctly the boundaries of the land referred to.

No. 5.
Mr. Commissioner Rogan to the Chief Commissioner.

I have the honor to submit to you, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, the following report on land in the district, the exterior boundaries of which have been traversed.

Tawatahi Block, situated on the north side of Whaingaroa Harbour, having water frontage to each side of Tawatahi Creek for more than two miles, which is navigable by boat at high water. It is more than six miles in length, and averages more than a mile in breadth. It contains about Four thousand acres (4,000), and there are about Fifteen hundred acres (1,500) of fern land near the harbour, very fertile, although of an undulating character. The remaining part of the block is forest and unavailable for practical purposes, owing to the hilly nature of the land.

An instalment of One hundred pounds has been paid by you to the Native Renata, on the 4th August, 1854.

I have made no proposal to the Natives for the final settlement of this block, as it is the wish of the chief Takerei, and some of his followers, to arrange with you on your return from Auckland.

Oioroa Block, situated on the north side of Aotea Harbour, containing about 1,300 acres, the whole of which, except about two hundred acres of fern land, consists of sand hills. An instalment of One hundred pounds (£100) has been paid to Kewene and Te Aho for this and other land.

The Natives wished me to consider this land equivalent to the amount paid; but I declined concluding any arrangement with them until you were made acquainted with the character of the land.

No. 8.
Mr. Commissioner Rogan to the Chief Commissioner.

I have the honor to enclose herewith deeds of sale and conveyance of several blocks of land situated near Kawhia and Whaingaroa, as marked in the margin,^* which have been executed by the Native owners during my recent journey from New Plymouth to Auckland.

No. 9.
The Hon. the Native Minister to Mr. Commissioner Rogan.

It is the wish of the Government that you should proceed to Raglan as early as possible, in accordance with the promise made to Wiremu Nera, for the purpose of proceeding with the negotiation for the purchase of his claims over the block of land between Waitetuna and Waipa.

You are yourself so familiar with the circumstances under which Nera's original offer of this land was made, and have been in fact so frequently engaged personally in the negotiation, which commenced in 1858, that it is unnecessary for me to give any particulars of the case for your guidance. You are also aware of the general views which the Government entertain on the subject of Nera's proposal, but in a matter of such consequence it may be more satisfactory to yourself that these views should be distinctly stated.

The block now offered by Nera is substantially the same as that offered by him in 1858 and 1859, the offer not being then entertained in consequence of conflicting proprietary claims. At that time the King party raised the same opposition as they still make to the sale of the land and the construction of the roads; but if it had not been for the objections of a number of natives who were part owners, it is probable that the opposition of the former would have been disregarded, as Nera strongly urged that it should be.

I believe there is no doubt that Nera and his followers are the principal owners, and there can hardly be a good reason why the Crown should not acquire their rights. The great importance of such an acquisition, in a political point of view, added to the value of the land itself, whenever a perfect title to the whole can be got, would justify a high price being given. Nera would feel that the acceptance of his offer was a great moral support to the position he has invariably held; that he is, of right, entitled to dispose of his land without reference to the opposition of the King party, which really rests upon their determination generally to permit no more sales of land in the Waikato country. The Government would stand in his stead as part, or rather principal owner of the territory, and would succeed to all his rights over it. Claims of opposing proprietors would be occasionally brought up, and the survey of the boundaries undertaken whenever the Government should judge it safe to do so.

The general opposition of the King party on other grounds than proprietorship could hardly prevail in the long run against the right of the Crown as principal proprietor, and when the Raglan road reaches Waitetuna (the point beyond which the Kingites have declared it is not to go) those whose rights as proprietors still remained unpurchased might be induced to agree to the road being completed, on account of the joint ownership, even if they continued to withhold their assent to the full cession of the territory.

You will therefore see that if a clear and complete title cannot even now be made out to your satisfaction by Nera and his people, and that if proprietary rights exist in other Natives, who continued to be opposed to the sale, the Government are still willing to acquire his claims provided that you are satisfied that those claims do comprise a valid right of ownership over the land offered, or, at any rate, a large portion of it.

In addition to the opposition which formerly existed from Natives whom the then Government recognized as part owners, you are aware, of opposition to the cession of this territory having been made from the first and persisted in till now by the adherents of the Maori King. A letter was received within the last few days by the Governor, purporting to come from Matutaera's Runanga, and warning the Government against paying any money for the land. It is not the intention of the Governor to take any notice of warnings based merely on the proceedings of the Native King to prevent any sale of land whatever, but when so much notice has been given to the Government, from which it may possibly be inferred that a proprietary right is asserted, it will be your duty to be especially careful to make full enquiry before entering into any actual agreement with Nera. It is in order that you may have every facility for making this enquiry on the spot that you are now to go to Whaingaroa.