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

Enclosure 2 in No. 2. — Mr. Preece to Mr. Kemp, C.C

Enclosure 2 in No. 2.
Mr. Preece to Mr. Kemp, C.C.

In reference to the complaint made by Tiopira, that he only received £2,000 for his interest in Waipoua and Maunganui, while Parore received £2,500 for his interest, I have the honor to say that—

  • 1. Tiopira had, together with all his people, before the land was surveyed, agreed to sell the land to the Queen for a stated sum, namely, 1s. 1d. per acre, being a trifle less than he eventually got; and on that agreement they had drawn from the Government money on the land to the amount of £620: while, on the other hand, Parore and his people had never agreed to sell the land at all, nor had they drawn any money on it—holding their interest intact and unencumbered by agreement to sell, until after Tiopira had finally disposed of his interest.
  • 2. There was no doubt that their interests were equal in the whole area of the estate; but the judgment being invalid, we were bound to get them to come to an agreement if possible; and we could get no better terms out of Tiopira than that he was to get the Waipoua reserve (over 12,000 acres) to himself, and that Parore was to pay him £100, which, by the deliberate verdict of a former Court, he (after being heard) had been found not to be entitled to. Thus Parore received £2,400, and Tiopira received £2,100 and over 12,000 acres of land, to which, by the verdict of the Judges of the Court, Parore was as much entitled to as was Tiopira, but, by the compromise, obtained no interest in it.
  • 3. The purchase of the interest of Tiopira and that of Parore were two entirely different negotiations, and conducted quite separately; the former having willingly, and without any hesitation, sold at a trifle over what he originally agreed to: and the interest of the latter having been purchased at the very lowest sum he could possibly be induced to take, and he being under no obligation whatever to sell at all.

It is true that one deed for each block was made to cover both transactions, but that was done simply as a matter of convenience.

J. W. Preece.