No. 56
Mr. Commissioner Rogan to the Chief Commissioner.

I have the honor to inform you, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, that after my arrival at Pakiri, on the 4th instant, for the purpose of paying the sum of Five hundred pounds (£500) to Te Kiri and others for the purchase of Waikeriawera, a messenger was immediately despatched to Kaipara for Arama Karaka to come and participate in the payment for that land, and as after the lapse of ten days, neither the messenger nor Arama Karaka made his appearance, Te Kiri, Te Urunga, Hori Te More, and the other Natives became so impatient, that I was compelled to pay over the money to them (they having promised to satisfy any claim which Arama Karaka has on the land), or run the risk of breaking off the arrangement altogether for an indefinite period, and on Monday the 15th the deed was executed and the money paid over to Te Kiri and Te Urunga.

An instalment of One hundred pounds (£100) on account of an advance of Two hundred and fifty-one pounds one shilling (£251 1s.) which has been made to Te Kiri by the Government to complete the purchase of a vessel, was handed to me, together with Twenty founds (£20) from Hori Te More on account of Fifty pounds (£50) which has been advanced to him on the Mangawhara Block, after which I proceeded on my way to Whangarei. On my arrival at Mangawhai in the evening I was informed that Makoare and Timoti, two Kaipara chiefs, were drowned, which was the cause of the messenger and Arama Karaka being detained at Kaipara.

The deed of cession, together with the description of boundaries, is enclosed herewith. I have no apprehension that Arama Karaka will raise any objection to my having paid the money to Te Kiri under the circumstances above stated. Yet it may be advisable that the Proclamation of the block be deferred for a short period, until I have an opportunity of explaining to him personally the reasons which induced me to pay over the money to Te Kiri in his absence.