No. 44.
Lieut:–Colonel Mcdonnell to the General Government Agent.

I have the honor to report that, on my return to the Taheke and Ohaeowae from Hokianga, that I proceeded to Mangakahia, in accordance with your instructions. On my way there I met a number of Natives on their road to Kaikohe, many of them principal owners of the country sought to page 113be obtained by His Honor the Superintendent. Hare Potai, Eru Teke, and Piripi Hahu, who were with these people, on hearing my errand, protested strongly against the sale of these lands by Matiu to Mr. White, and gave me directions where to find other chiefs at Mangakahia, who would tell me more.

On my arrival at Mr. Frazer's, at Mangakahia, I sent messages to the various settlements, and the following morning Mari te Wharepapa, Paora Kewi, Te Hatiwira, and others, called to see me, and a long conversation ensued, the result of which is that the Natives are still willing to dispose of their land to His Honor Mr. Gillies, for the purpose of locating Europeans thereon; but they one and all, Matiu and Hamu excepted, are annoyed and angry at Mr. White dealing with only two of their number, and not meeting the whole of the owners on the land itself. They also refuse to agree to sell at the price arranged between Mr. White and Matiu at Helensville; that is, at 1s. 6d. an acre for the good land, and 1s. 3d. for the hills and forest. The best part of this, or the most part of the land, they (the Natives) tell me Mr. White has never looked at. They wish to have a letter from the Government, and to hear from me as soon as possible after arriving in Auckland, and they do not wish the land to be surveyed by private individuals, but to be undertaken by the Government, free of cost to them, after the price per acre has been properly agreed upon.

With reference to the Rev. Charles Baker's claim, I led the Natives carefully round to the subject, and we had a long discussion, the result of which is, that they have promised me that if surveyors are sent by the Government to survey the land, that they will go over to the ground and survey the portion agreed upon before, at the time the surveyors were stopped, and that no dispute will now arise. At the same time, I would suggest that if the Government assent to this, a Government officer should be on the spot during the survey, and I think that this very troublesome question would then be amicably settled.

Any further action taken by me than ascertaining what I did during this visit might have proved injurious, so I left the following Monday, promising to write soon after arriving in Auckland, The Natives mentioned by me expressed a strong wish to hear from yourself, and His Honor Mr. Gillies, after which they would send for me. I promised them as far as I could that their wishes should be attended to. They expressed themselves satisfied, and the meeting broke up.

On Sunday morning, Wharepapa called to see me, giving me a letter for you, which I have already forwarded, and he told me that the Natives wished Baker's claim to be settled, and surveyed off; but he hinted that a further reduction of acreage would be asked for, though he said at the same time that he did not think that the extra claim would be at all insisted on, and I fancy he is right.