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

Messrs. C. O. Davis and Henry Mitchell, Rotorua, to the Under Secretary, Native Department, Wellington

Messrs. C. O. Davis and Henry Mitchell, Rotorua, to the Under Secretary, Native Department, Wellington.

Bay of Plenty.Reporting, land transactions in Arawa District. Rotorua, 24th April, 1876.

Sir,—

We have the honor to transmit, for your information, the following remarks relative to land matters in our district, in the hope that some points requiring elucidation may be made clear to you And although this report may be considered diffusive to you, being well versed in Maori feelings and opinions, yet the points mooted may not be superfluous or devoid or interest.

By way of explanation, we may observe that, prior to the decision of Government relative to purchasing and leasing lands in the Arawa country, extensive runs were taken by Messrs. Tetley, Seymour, Beaumont, Cox, Grace, Young, and others; but, prior to our services being secured on behalf of the Government, we had become the agents of Messrs. Millar, Buckland, and others, to secure in the whole of the Arawa District every available block of land by lease, &c., at high rates, considerably in advance of those we subsequently paid on behalf of Government.

The Arawa country, as a whole, has been cried down as a "desert of pumice;" and those who profess to have great knowledge of soils, and their adaptation to grasses, speak loudly against the run-holders for taking up so dreary a country, and some of the local newspapers have criticised the action of Government for "wasting," as they say, "money on such deserts." It never, has been proved, however, that these poor looking pumice soils will not grow grasses, for the simple reason that no attempt has been made to try their capabilities. Some persons indeed, in their fool-hardiness, ploughed up certain places at Taupo and scattered grass seed, forgetting at the time that the plough-share should not, have touched the soil, as it did not require to be made more porous by ploughing, but more compressed by rollers. One thing is certain, that in many localities where no plough-share has been introduced, fine clover and various other English grasses have embedded themselves in the pumice soil, and on some of the despised runs sheep are thriving remarkably well, the run-holders sending yearly their wool to the Napier market. The late William Buckland, whose practical knowledge in agricultural pursuits was most extensive, often expressed his conviction that the very worst looking pumice land of Taupo would be productive of English grasses some day, should the work be entrusted to competent and skilful persons.

In relation to Maori feelings with regard to land matters in the Arawa country, we may state that long before the origin of the famous land league of the Waikatos, which led to their election of• the Maori King, the Arawa tribes came to the unanimous decision that no lands "should be alienated to either Government or private individuals; but that their country would be opened for lease, a determination they seem to have adhered to, with little or no variation, up to the year 1872. The wonder therefore is that we succeeded in buying Otamarakau, 28,000 acres; Kaikokopu, 17,000; Paengawa, 25,000; Te Puke, 30,000; and Te Rotohokahoka, 20,000, in the Maketu and, Rotorua Districts, all of which are known to be suitable for special settlement.

Up to the year 1871 the various attempts made by the Judges of the Native Lands Court to investigate the titles of land at Maketu and Rotorua signally failed, and the proceedings of the Arawas page 376 were of so violent a character as to preclude the possibility of farther action being taken in their country, a circumstance which induced the authorities to transfer from Maketu and Rotorua to Tauranga the sitting of the Lands Court, in the hope that the spirit" of turbulence in regard to the Arawa land matters would be subdued; but even here, to prevent the outbreak of hostilities, Sir Donald McLean was compelled to order the closing of the Court, and the withdrawal from the district of all surveyors.

From the year 1866 up to 1872, various private individuals from both the North and Middle Islands, anxious to obtain runs in the Arawa country, treated directly with the Natives, and paid large deposits to the professed owners, contrary to law, so determined were they to gain possession, if possible, of the land in question, notwithstanding the oft-repeated assertion that the whole of the country is a "silent, barren desert." In some instances sheep were placed on runs, but were driven hither and thither by antagonistic Maori claimants; and when any attempt was made to survey the lands, the surveyors were at once expelled by the Natives, and more recently, when De Thierry, Dalton, O'Mera, Fitzgerald, and other Auckland speculators, ventured to commence surveys at Rotorua and Taupo, hostile Natives appeared in armed force, and, to prevent the shedding of blood, the military authorities were obliged to interfere, unarm the Maoris, and warn the surveyors to move off. By this judicious interference of the military in 1873, the belligerent Natives were quelled and peace restored to the, district.

The leading chiefs of the Arawas, having discovered that no settlement of land was likely to be effected by the lawfully constituted Court, and dreading that the Maori heartburning, keenly felt by the Hawke's Bay Natives in consequence of their entanglement by runholders, mortgages, &c., would extend itself to the Arawa country, forwarded petitions, to Government in 1871 and 1872, praying that some system be adopted by which the long-pending vexed question of Arawa titles to land might be settled; and when land agents were authorized by Government to buy and lease Arawa territory, the tribes unanimously declared that this decision of our rulers was the granting of the Arawa request for the adoption of some suitable land system to meet the urgent wishes of the Arawa tribes: hence the cordial and extreme friendly welcome experienced by the land agents on the occasion of their first visit to Taupo Runanga, Paewa, Parekarangi, Te Wairoa, Maketu, Te Awa-o-te-Atua, Kokohinau, Fort Galatea, and other Native settlements; and up to the present time it may be said, with all truthfulness, that little or no opposition rules throughout the district, except that of the old land league and certain chiefs who have little or no land to sell.

The spirit of rivalry among the Arawa tribes from the earliest times seems to have been based upon what they designate manai.e., influence, power, authority, superstition, dread, &c. In all our negotiations throughout the Arawa country this mana protrudes itself, but the two dominant parties now assuming to hold this power are the Ngatiwhakaue and Tuhourangi tribes. It has been our practice from the first to ignore the mana, because it professes to be perfectly distinct from the ownership of the soil, and moreover the assumed mana by these dominant tribes is repudiated by the genuine owners of the soil. It does seem strange indeed that in these times, when Maori rule is almost annihilated by European usages, that any chiefs or tribes in the Arawa country should be found to assert their mana and to base their pretensions on it, and this seems doubly strange when we take into consideration the fact that all the leading chiefs of the Arawa are receiving Government salaries, by which act they have to all intents and purposes virtually abandoned the Maori notions of authority To retain their ancient rights of mana and to draw their Government salaries is perfectly incompatible, and to attempt usurpation by claiming to have mana now, when the great majority of the people repudiate their assumption, is equally absurd. We do not go into the basis of this mana, as to how it comes to pass that one tribe should possess it and not another; but, as far as we have been able to glean information, the mana question has arisen from the practice of the more powerful domineering over the weak; the power arising from birth, intellect, and other fortuitous circumstances. It will be seen by the above remarks that it would be quite out of place for us, as land agents, to recognize the mana of chiefs or tribes; and accordingly we have steadily adhered to our first determination— namely, to treat only with the recognized owners of the soil. The attitude assumed by us in this respect has induced the chiefs and tribes claiming mana to deluge the Government with letters and telegrams, in the hope that they would be able to extort money on the ground of this Maori mana, forfeited long ago, and fully ignored by all parties. It may be remarked here that, when Christianity was introduced into New Zealand, all Maori slaves were emancipated, and every individual Maori was looked upon as the owner of his land, the chiefs having, been disrobed of their mana power. The repeated endeavours of the Arawa chiefs and tribes to base upon this mana their claim for compensation in regard to Maori lands is simply the reiterated cry, "Give, give;" and they assure themselves that nothing is lost by making the demand. This has been our experience in dealing with this mana question. But, should the adherents of this undefined, Maori mana continue to exert their clamour the matter may readily enough be set at rest by a series of Native meetings, aided by Government, as these simple tribunals will be the only effectual mode of settling this purely Maori supremacy.

Another subject which has given rise to fierce argumentation among the Arawas themselves, and harassed us perpetually, is that of the toa, or, braves, and the singularity of the question, and the extent of its ramifications throughout the district and far beyond it, is as troublesome as it is remarkable The simple and advisable course would be to ignore the claims of the toa, not being based on Maori custom, and on the ground of its having been repudiated by the Native Lands Court in a full and lengthened sitting, under the able inquiry of that excellent Maori scholar, Judge Smith. But the Arawas, as a people, do not argue but resort to declamation, a course which intimidates the weak, who are generally right, and strengthens the position of the more powerful, who are almost always wrong. The demands made by the braves proper are based upon the supposed military services achieved by them on their own behalf and on behalf of certain tribes acknowledged to be, owners of the Maketu soil, which military services were carried out long antecedent to the colonization of New Zealand, and on this ground alone the assumption of these braves should have been repudiated, especially when a large number of the so called braves who performed the military services are owners of the soil; but though they have alienated the land to Government, they also demand compensation as braves: thus, page 377 by Maori scheming and mere braggardism, they hope to secure double payments from Government, one for the soil itself, and the other for military services on their own behalf. There are four sets of braves; those with whom the attacks upon the common enemy originated, those who risked their lives by personal daring, those who lost most relatives in the fight, and the great crowd who rushed to take loot, and otherwise help the army when the foe was routed. It should be stated that many of the braves who have no interest in Maketu soil, but are residing thereon, have abundantly compensated themselves long ago by taking possession of certain lands there which they cultivated and still retain. To eject this class of claimants from the lands now in their occupation, would probably bring about local disturbances; but to grant them other privileges, is most unjust to all other outside tribes who assisted in the tribal wars. As, however, the toa question has been recognized, the greatest care and prudence are required to set the matter at rest, as it still agitates the whole Arawa community at Maketu and Rotorua, and since the recognition numbers of claimants from distant parts have started up from their concealment demanding compensation on account of the old Maori fights.

The peculiarity of the Arawa country, in relation to its wonderful terraces, its geysers and numerous mineral springs, is attracting numbers of visitors year by year from Europe, America, Australia, North and South Islands of New Zealand; and owing to this large concourse of persons during the summer months, and the benefits derived by invalids from various mineral baths, said to contain sulphur, arsenic, naptha, alum, iron and other chemicals, many private speculators have leased and bought plots of land unlawfully, anticipating that the district will ere long become populous, in consequence of its multitudinous springs and other advantages. That such a country should become the property of the Crown, and that strenuous efforts be put forth to secure so desirable an object, will scarcely be questioned by any man of reflection, although it is considered fashionable by newspaper writers to deplore the action of Government in its attempt to secure this valuable public domain, and to cry the country down as a "silent barren desert," broken only by its lakes—Taupo, Rotorua Tikitapu, Rotokakahi, Okareka, Okataina, Tarawera, Rerewhakaitu, Rotomahana, Rotoma, Rotoehu Rotoiti, and others.

The acquisition of these lands by lease, politically considered, is, without doubt, of paramount consequence, the country being intersected by roads and telegraph lines, accessible by coach and horse, and forming the area between the great centres of population in the North Island—namely, Wellington, Auckland, and Napier. Nor should the great importance of establishing permanent peaceful relations with the large Maori population of this district be overlooked, as it will tend materially to intimidate the action of less friendly Maori communities, and raise the confidence of New Zealand colonists.

Viewing the leasing of these lands by the Government from a commercial standpoint, the rentals being extremely low, there are good grounds for believing that the Government will be gainers; nor should it be imagined that these lands will be untenanted for any time after they are thrown open by Government for selection: as, for instance, Runanga No. 1 and No. 2, well wooded and watered, having areas of respectively of 45,000 and 42,000 acres, are applied for by runholders; also Tatua East and West, containing 30,000 or 40,000 acres; Parekarangi, of 80,000; and a firm from Auckland desires a long lease of Tawhatirahi or Otuhounga, of 19,000 acres, for the purpose of procuring sulphur. Paeroa, of 100,000 acres, and other blocks, might be enumerated; but the above will suffice to show the eagerness of the public to secure the runs in the Arawa country, which have been so often proclaimed by newspaper writers and political partizans as "silent barren deserts."

While writing on this subject, it should be stated that all the Native owners interested in runs generally are exceedingly desirous to see them in the occupation of settlers placed thereon by Government; and we may add that, the titles being clear, immediate possession can be given.

In reference to this point, many leading chiefs from" time to time have made requests to us by letter and otherwise that the various runs in these localities, on which they have received public money, should be as speedily as possible covered with stock; and some of the tribes interested are petitioning the General Assembly to expedite their earnest wishes in this respect, a course that will tend to the advancement of the country, the union of rival chieftains, and the unanimous confidence of the Arawa people in the land scheme of the present Government in the Bay of Plenty and its inland districts.

We have, &c.,

C. O. Davis.
Henry Mitchell.

The Under Secretary, Native Department, Wellington.