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

No. 9. — Mr. Commissioner Johnson to the Hon. the Colonial, Secretary

No. 9.
Mr. Commissioner Johnson to the Hon. the Colonial, Secretary.

North side, Whangarei—Natives have offered land for sale on the North side of the harbor.Land Commissioner's Office,
Auckland, 18th September, 1854.

Sir,—

Certain natives of Whangarei have offered lands for sale to the Government, situated on the North side of the harbor.

An undefined grant for four hundred and fourteen acres (414 acres) has been issued to Gilbert Mair, Esq. (and is now held by Messrs. Brown & Campbell) for the same locality, which grant includes boundaries containing an area of about Three thousand acres (3,000 acres), and the holders of the grant are reported to claim in the whole a tract estimated at Seven thousand acres (7,000 acres) in extent, in virtue of this grant for 414 acres.

This claim embraces a large portion of the most valuable water frontage of the harbor, and many natives own different spots in and also adjoining to the said land, which lands they are willing to dispose of to the Crown; and I beg therefore to suggest that it would be very conducive to the interests of the settlers, and just to the natives, if the limits were fixed of the land to which assignees of the original grantee are entitled; and beg therefore to suggest the propriety of this case being brought under the provisions of the Crown Titles Ordinance, previous to my entering into negotiations for the purchase of that part of the country.

I have, &c.,

John Grant Johnson,
District Land Commissioner.

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary,
&c., &c.