—No. 12.—

Crown Grant for Lands at Otago.

Victoria, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, and so forth;

To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting.

Whereas it hath been made to appear to us, that the New Zealand Company hath, by virtue of Our license and authority to it given, acquired from certain Aboriginal Natives in New Munster, entitled in that behalf, a full and valid cession of all the rights of such Aboriginal Natives to the lands hereinafter particularly described (subject to the reservations hereinafter made for the benefit of the said Aboriginal Natives):—Now know ye, that We of Our special grace, for Us, Our Heirs, and Successors, Do hereby grant page 46 unto the said New Zealand Company, their Successors and Assigns, All that piece or parcel of land situate on the East coast of New Munster, and comprising the lands known as Otakou, Kaikarae, Taieri, Mataau, and Te Karoro, and which piece or parcel of land is bounded on the North by the sea-coast from a point at Purehurehu, half a mile distant from the Western Head of the Harbour of Otakou to Otupa, and thence to the Poatiri; on the East, by the sea-shore from Poatiri aforesaid to Tokata; on the South and South-West, by the ridge of hills known as Taukohu to Pohuaroa; on the West, by a line running along the summit of the Kaihiku range; then by a right line drawn from the Northern extremity of the said line, along the summit of the Kaihiku range, known as Munga Atua; thence by a line running North North-Easterly along the summit of the said Munga Atua range to Wakari; thence by a line running along the summit of the hills, to the mountain known as Mihiwaka, and thence by a line along the summit of the hills till it joins the said Northern boundary at Purehurehu, and which piece or parcel of land is estimated to contain Four Hundred Thousand Acres, or thereabouts, and is, with the boundaries thereof, more particularly delineated in the plan thereof, endorsed upon these presents, together with all Islands, Minerals, and Forests next adjoining thereto or thereupon being, and together with all appurtenances to the said piece of land, or any part thereof, belonging or in anywise appertaining: Excepting, and always reserved out of this present grant to Us, Our heirs, and Successors, a certain piece of land on the Western Head of the said Harbour of Otakou, comprising one hundred and twenty acres, or thereabouts, and a certain other piece of land, situate on the Eastern Head of the same Harbour, comprising two hundred and fifty acres, or thereabouts, and the Islands of Kakariri and Kamautaurua, and which last-mentioned Reserves are coloured blue upon the said plan: And also excepting, and always reserved out of page 47 the said grant, for the sole and exclusive benefit of the said Aboriginal Natives, and their heirs for ever, all that piece of land called Ornate, situate on the Eastern Shore of the Harbour of Otakou, bounded on the West by the said Harbour, on the South by a line drawn from Moepuka, on the Shores of the said Harbour, to Poatiri aforesaid, thence along the Coast to Waiwakaheke, thence round to Pukekura, and runs along the side of the Harbour to Moepuka, on the East and North by the Sea, and which piece of ground comprises the whole of the land on the Eastern shores of the said Harbour lying to the Northward of the said line, from Moepuka to Poatiri, excepting the said Reserve on the Eastern Head of such Harbour hereinbefore made for Ourselves, Our Heirs, and Successors: And also excepting that piece of land situate at Taieri aforesaid, bounded on the North by a line drawn from Onumia on the sea shore, in a West North-West direction, till it strikes the Taieri River at Maitapapa, on the West and South, by the Taieri River, and on the East, by the sea shore: And also excepting all that piece of land at Karoro, bounded on the South by the River Karoro, on the East, by the sea shore, on the North, by a line drawn so as to include the kainga or village at that place, and prolonged Westerly one mile inland, and on the West, by a line drawn due South from the termination of such last-mentioned line till it meets the said Karoro River, and which last mentioned piece of ground includes the kainga of Karoro: And all which Reserves, for the benefit of the said Aboriginal Natives, with their boundaries and abuttals, are more particularly delineated and described in the said plan endorsed hereupon, and coloured yellow: To Hold the said piece or parcel of ground, and islands, and premises, with their and every of their appurtenances, except as aforesaid, unto the said New Zealand Company, their Successors and Assigns, for ever. In Testimony whereof, We have caused this Our Grant to be sealed with the Seal of Our said Territory.

page 48

Witness, Our trusty and well-beloved George Grey, Esquire, Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Our said Territory and its Dependencies, at Wellington in New Zealand aforesaid, this thirteenth day of April, in the ninth year of Our reign, and in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-six.