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A compendium of official documents relative to native affairs in the South Island, Volume One.

No. 19. — Translation of Murihiku Deed

No. 19.
Translation of Murihiku Deed.

Let all the Nations know. We the chiefs and all the people of all the lands lying within the boundaries hereunder written, derived through our ancestors from whom it descended to us, the plan whereof is hereunto annexed, have written our names and marks as the act of consent of us, for ourselves, for our relations, for our families, for bur heirs new living, and our descendants who shall be born after us,— entirely to give up all those our lands which have been negotiated for, the boundaries of which have been described, and the plan whereof is annexed to this deed of conveyance, to Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, her heirs and successors for ever, as a lasting possession for her or for the Europeans to whom Her Majesty, or rather His Excellency the Governor, shall consent that it shall be given.

And whereas we have agreed entirely to give up our land lying within the boundaries hereunder written: Walter Mantell, the Commissioner for extinguishing Native Claims (by virtue of the authority given to him by His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief to arrange and determine the price to be paid for these lands), agrees that he will pay us the sum of two thousand pounds sterling, the manner of payment to be as follows:—The money shall be divided into two portions': In the first instalment there shall be one thousand pounds, which shall have been paid to us at Otakou when all the people shall have assembled. The second instalment of one thousand pounds shall be paid at Awaroa in the month in which the money arrives. The whole of the moneys of these payments being added together, they shall amount to the sum of two thousand pounds, as agreed upon above.

Now these are the boundaries of the land which have been alienated: The boundary commences at Milford Haven (the name given to that place in Mr. Kemp's deed is Wakatipu, but by the Maoris it is called Piopiotahi), thence to Kaihiku; thence to Tokata, strictly following the old boundary line of Messrs. Kemp and Symonds, and by the coast from Milford Haven round to Tokata, with Tauraka Barotoka, Motupiu, and all the islands lying adjacent to the shore (excepting the Ruapuke group), and all the hinds within those boundaries, with the anchorages and landing-places, with the rivers, the lakes, the woods, and the bush, with all things whatsover within those places, and in all things lying thereupon. A more accurate description and representation of the land is given in the plan hereunto annexed.

All the lands, and all other things above enumerated, and which lie within the boundaries above recited, have been entirely surrendered to Her Majesty the Queen for ever and ever.

But those portions of land which have been set apart by Mr. Mantell, and surveyed by C. Kettle Esq., J.P., Government Surveyor, at Tuturau, Omaui, Oue, Aparima, Oraka, Kawakaputuputa, and, Onetoto, marked with the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, and coloured yellow, are for ourselves as lasting possessions for us and for our children for ever. The only portions for ourselves are those just named.

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We also agree that the portions which have been reserved for us shall not be sold without the consent of His Excellency the Governor.

And if His Excellency wishes at any future time to cause a road to be made through the land reserved for us, we agree to give up some portions thereof without any payment being made, that the roads which he thinks necessary may be properly laid off.

And in testimony of our true and unreserved assent to all the conditions of this deed, which has been read aloud to us, we have signed our names and marks; and in testimony of the consent of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, Walter Mantell, Commissioner for the extinguishment of Native Claims, hereunto signed his name.

Our names and marks were signed to this deed on the seventeenth of the days of August, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, at Dunedin.

[Here follow the signatures.]