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An Epitome of Official Documents Relative to Native Affairs and Land Purchases in the North Island of New Zealand

Rights of Pre-emption

Rights of Pre-emption.

In the first place, as regards the aborigines, I have directed that no further applications for the direct purchase of land from them by private individuals should be received by the Government until I have had time to inquire into the subject, and to determine what line of policy, in reference to the sale of lands, shall be adopted and referred for your Lordship's definite instructions upon this point. I am inclined to think that it would be most unwise on the part of the Government to waive the right of pre-emption secured to the Crown by the Treaty of Waitangi, as no more certain means of controlling the Natives could be found than refusing to purchase any lands from those who-conducted themselves improperly, and in whose intentions of surrendering their lands no confidence could be placed. I find, moreover, that various complicated disputes have already arisen between the Natives and various persons who have purchased lands from them under the terms of my predecessor's Proclamation waiving the Crown's right of pre-emption. These persons all look to the Government, under whose sanction these purchases were made, to put them in possession of their lands, and a series of new land claims have arisen which are likely to prove more troublesome than those which have already, been so perplexing to the Government. I have therefore refused, at least for the present, to sanction any purchase made from the Natives by private individuals.