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A Compendium of Official Documents Relative to Native Affairs in the South Island. Volume Two.

No. 15. — Mr. A. Mackay, to the Under Secretary Native Department

No. 15.
Mr. A. Mackay, to the Under Secretary Native Department.

Dunedin, January 15th, 1868.

Sir,—

I beg to return herewith the correspondence relative to the enlargement of the burial ground at Kaiapoi, and in reference thereto, I have the honour to inform you that the Provincial Government have consented to surrender to the Natives the whole of the piece of land coloured green on the accompanying tracing. There is very little doubt that this land is really their own, and that the road line shown on the present boundary intersecting it, is about the position of the foot of the sandhills as shown on Mr. Will's original sketch map, instead of the dotted line as indicated on the tracing. No further extensions can be made in the neighbourhood of the burial ground as the land to the eastward of the road is sold; the present arrangement will however obviate the grievance complained of by the Natives.

With respect to the strip of land lying along the north road proposed to be sold to the occupiers of the adjoining land, I met several of these persons in the presence of two of the chief members of the Native runanga who had been deputed by the meeting to assist in making arrangements in the matter, when it was agreed that one of them, named James Howell, should be allowed to purchase a portion of this strip at £12 per acre, and that the remainder should be offered to a person named Ward at the same rate.

Howell is prepared to pay the amount agreed on for his portion so soon as a title is guaranteed to him. I would, therefore, beg to inquire which will be the best course to pursue to acquire a title for the Natives to the aforesaid land,* to enable them to dispose of it to intending purchasers; whether it should be brought by them under the provisions of "The Native Reserves Act," and a title given direct to the purchasers, or whether they should seek a title to it through the Native Land Court. If there is no objection to the land being brought under the Act for the aforesaid purpose, I would recommend the first named course as being the most expeditious and inexpensive to both parties.

I have, &c,

Alexander Mackay,
Native Commissioner.

The Under Secretary Native Department, Wellington.

* This land was subsequently brought under the provisions of "The Native Reserves Act, 1856," vide, New Zealand Gazette, No. 50, August 25th, 1868.—Alexander Mackay, Native Commissioner.