.jpg)
Papers Relating To Claims Made By Certain Natives To Quail Island.
Schedule.
| No. of Series. | Date. | Writer. | To whom Addressed. | Subject. |
| 1 | June 1, 1852 | Colonial Secretary | Mr. J. R. Godley | Forwarding claims by Natives on Quail Island. |
| 2 | May 17, 1852 | Mr. Mantell | Mr. J. R. Godley | Report on above claims, deciding them as baseless. |
No. 1.
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to the Agent of the Canterbury Association.
Sir,—
I am instructed by His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief to transmit, for your information, copies of the translations of two letters from Native residents at Port Cooper, in which they prefer a claim to Quail Island; at the same time, I am to forward to you a copy of Mr. Mantell's report on the subject.
I have, &c.,
Alfred Domett,
Colonial Secretary.
J. R. Godley, Esq.,
Agent, Canterbury Association, &c., Lyttelton.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
[Translation.]
Friend Governor,—
Greeting. My address to you is this: with reference to the conversation I had with you on board the ship, referring more particularly to the island which stands close by—Te Kawakawa is the name of that island. I was not present when it was paid for by Mantell. Only the land within the Port Cooper District did I witness the payment of by Mantell; viz., the land on this side and on the other side also. That island was separated from it because a space of water lies between. What I think is, that I should still keep possession of that island as grazing land for my cattle, since it is not right that they should remain on the mainland; because if they trespass on the Europeans' land they will require payment, and where is the money to come from?
Tame.
Petera.
His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Friend,—
If you consent to any further payment for that island, let the payment be given to me. When Port Cooper was paid for by Mantell, I received the payment. When "Tieni" (her husband probably) died, the Natives of Port Cooper had no chief remaining. In this case, let the payment come to me. Those persons who have conferred with you had land of their own, for which they received payment. If you consent to any payment being given, write me a letter to that effect.
Governor Grey.
Wikitoria.
No. 2.
Report on Letter (24th March, 1852,) of Tame and Petera claiming Quail Island, in Port Cooper; and on that of Wikitoria, requesting that, if further payment be given for that island, the money be given to her, and not to the above claimants.
Neither of these claims has the slightest foundation; the assertions on which Tame and Petera base theirs is untrue. Quail Island, Te Kawakawa, was included in the Port Cooper purchase, aud paid for with the rest of the land. I did not promise it as a reserve. Descriptions of all the reserves promised by me will be found in the deed of sale.
page 262