Notes on Sir William Martin's Pamphlet Entitled the Taranaki Question
Page 10
Page 10.
"These rights of the Tribes collectively."………
These words, read immediately after the words "To themselves they retained what they understood full well, the full chiefship in respect of all their lands," might mislead the reader by inducing him to suppose that every succeeding Governor had "solemnly and repeatedly recognised." some right or chiefship distinct from ordinary proprietary right in the Ngatiawa at Taranaki.
The first Governor who recognised the Ngatiawa title at all was Governor Fitzroy, and he never recognised any general tribal right among them, nor any authority on the part of the Chiefs of that tribe to control the sale of land. His policy was pursued by Sir George Grey, and by the present Governor.—[See note pp 13, 14.]