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

Governor Fitzroy's Second Visit to New Plymouth, 8th November, 1844.—3,300 Acres of Ngamotu Land obtained for Out-settlers

Governor Fitzroy's Second Visit to New Plymouth, 8th November, 1844.—3,300 Acres of Ngamotu Land obtained for Out-settlers.

His Excellency the Governor, whose arrival had been anxiously looked for, paid his second visit to this settlement on the 8th November, when I laid before him such information as I could procure, page 122agreeably to your letter of the 22nd August; in addition to which I placed before him maps of the settlement showing the extent of individual claims, both European and Native, as far as the claims of the latter could be obtained; also a statement of the feeling evinced by the Natives respecting their lands: after which His Excellency visited the neighbourhood of Mangaoraka and Waitara, accompanied by Messrs. Whiteley and Turton (Wesleyan Missionaries), Mr. Hamilton (Private Secretary), and myself, when he had an opportunity of conversing with the Natives, who still evinced no desire to allow the Europeans to remain. He also saw some of the settlers and the extent of their cultivations in that locality. As there had been no general disposition shown by the Natives to dispose of land, or encourage the settlement of. Europeans, and as Katatore and his party were still persisting in requiring the removal of the settlers, the attention of His Excellency was turned to the land belonging to the Ngamotu Natives, on which the town is situated and the majority of the settlers established. A meeting was accordingly held of the Natives principally concerned, when, after some difficulty in obtaining the quantity of land which His Excellency was desirous of purchasing to enable him to place all the Europeans who occupy land in this settlement in quiet and indisputable possession, after much discussion he succeeded in obtaining their consent to sell about 3,300 acres, with an understanding that their cultivations be reserved. Messrs. Whiteley, Forsaith, myself, and a surveyor, with a party of the Natives, perambulated the boundaries of the block of land under treaty; after which a deed was prepared and signed by eighty-four Natives, being within fourteen of the whole number of adults in the tribe, a certified copy of which deed has been forwarded. I have since had staked out the lands and cultivations to be reserved, having given previous notice to the Resident Agent of the Company of the days on which I would be employed in doing so, that either he, or some, one on his behalf, might accompany me to see its extent and position in order to prevent any future misunderstandings. A map of the block of land purchased, showing these reserves, is now sent, and with my next despatch a tracing of the same will be transmitted to you.