Te Heuheu Tukino to the Hon. the Native Minister.

E Pa,—

Tena koe. He kupu atu tena ki a koe, ara, he whakaatu kua maha nga ra e korerorero ana matou ko te Ruihi mo te Rahui whenua ka whakatapua nei mo te Iwi ki Tongariro, notemea e mohio ana matou he mea nui rawa taua mea, a i te mea hoki kihai ano nga whakaaro o etahi o nga tangata o taku iwi i tino marama ki taua mea.

Na kua oti te wehe atu o taua whenua e te Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori, a kua whakataua nga tihi o Tongariro me Ruapehu ki toku ingoa anake, ki te tangate nona tenei whakatauki, "Ko Tongariro te maunga, ko Taupo te moana, ko Ngatituwharetoa te iwi, ko Te Heuheu te tangata."

E hoa, kua hainatia e ahau te pukapuka i homai nei e Te Ruihi ki toku aroaro hei whakapumau i te tukunga atu o taua whenua hei whenua tapu mo te iwi katoa kia rite ai ki te hiahia o te Kawanatanga me taku kupu hoki i whakapuakina nei e au ki a koe i Rotorua. Engari e rua aku kupu hei whakaatu ki a koe. Tuatahi—Ko taku papa ko Te Heuheu Tukino i horongia nei ki te Rapa kei runga i taua maunga e takoto ana, a, e mea ana ahau me whakaneke mai ia ki tetahi wahi ke atu. Ko taua tangata, otira e mohio ana koe he rangatira nui rawa, a, he mea tika kia mahia e te Kawanatanga tetahi urupa kohatu mona, i te mea kahore ahau me toku iwi e kaha ki te mahi mea pera mona. Kua whakaae to hoa a Te Buihi ki tenei kupu aku, ana whakaae mai hoki koe. Taku kupu tuarua—koia tenei—Kua kaumatuatia ahau, a ko nga whakahaere mo toku iwi kai taku tama kotahi kai a Tureiti te Heuheu Tukino, a, ko taku hiahia me whakamana, ara, me whakahua tonu tona ingoa ki roto ki te Ture whakamana i te whenua ka whakatapua nei mo te Iwi ara, ko ia tonu te Kai-Tiaki hei riwhi mo toku turanga kai-taiki i runga i taua maunga ana mate ahau, a kua whakaae mai hoki a Te Ruihi ki tenei kupu aku, ana whakaae mai koe.

Koia ena aku kupu ki te Kawanatanga i taku tuhinga, ara i taku hainatanga i te pukapuka tuku atu i Tongariro me Ruapehu hai whenua tapu mo te Iwi katoa, Pakeha me te Maori. Heoi ano.