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

No. 140. — Report of Commissioner of Native Reserves (from 1st July, 1876, to 30th June, 1877)

No. 140.
Report of Commissioner of Native Reserves (from 1st July, 1876, to 30th June, 1877).

Auckland.

The Lot No. 176, at Remuera, containing eight acres, has been let on lease to Mr. Garrett Barry, for twenty-one years, from 1st January, 1877, at £10 a Year, and £5 paid in advance. This land is the property of Raiha Puaha, of Porirua, having been purchased as an investment for her late father, Rawiri Puaha. Lot No. 8, of Section 16, Remuera, Containing five acres, has been let by the year to Mr. Thomas Morrin, at a rent of £5. This land was purchased as an investment for the late chief Te Wharepu, of Waikato, and is the property of Ponui te Wharepu.

Waiuku.

Preparatory to the issue of new grants for thirty-seven reserves, under the provisions of "The Waiuku Native Grants Act, 1876," several surveys have been made by the Commissioner, of subdivisional boundaries, roads, and burial-places. The old grants were, pursuant to the Act, cancelled by page 105Order in Council on the 1st June, 1877, and new grants in the terms of the Act are in course of preparation. Several surveys of small reserves, in fulfilment of old promises, have also been made by the Commissioner, preparatory to the confiscated block being handed over to the local administration. In conformity with the provisions of "The Waiuku Church of England Site Crown Grant Act, 1876," a Crown grant has been prepared for trustees for 1 acre 2 roods 20 perches of the Native reserve at the dragging-place, in the Village of Waiuku.

Wellington.

Otari.—At the desire of the Public Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives on the petition of J. and R. Kilminster, and at the direction of the Hon. the Native Minister, I purchased from Raniera Pokowaenga and others, of the Ngatitama, at Taranaki, fifty acres of the Otari reserve, situate between Kaiwhara and Makara, for the sum of £150. The Messrs. Kilminster had by mistake built a house on and improved about fifty acres of the reserve, believing it to be their own land. The sum, which was a reasonable one, was supplied by Mr. J. Kilminster, to whom a conveyance of the fee-simple of the land has been made by the Natives The reserve is one entirely in the management of the natives. The Civil Commissioner (Major Brown) gave valuable assistance in arranging the payment.

Hutt.—I have purchased for the sum of £6 18s. the railroad, site, comprising 1 acre 1 road 27 perches of land in Section 121, Upper Hutt—a private estate of Hemi Parae and others.

Pitone.—A block of 6 acres 2 roods 20 perches, in Sections 1, 2, and 3, at Pitone, was necessary to the purposes of the Wellington and Masterton Railroad, for workshop sites, &c. The negotiation was very protracted; eventually the sum of £662 10s. was accepted, and a conveyance executed by Henare te Puni and others to the Queon for the land.

The above purchases are all on lands over which the Natives have entire control.

The Natives have sold the following reserves, also in their own management, to private parties: —

Ohariu.—No. 16, subdivision of Block 113, containing sixty acres, for £30, to R. C. Cook, on the 22nd May, 1876; and No. 10, of sixty acres, to Messrs. Cook, for £55, on the 7th September, 1876. The land, which is poor and precipitous, is near Opau Bay.

Tinakori.—No. 8, Orangi Kaupapa, containing 3 acres and 7 perches, to E.H. Hunt, for £100. No. 9, Orangi Kaupapa, Same area, to E. H. Hunt, for £100.

Hutt.—No. 5, Te Mome, containing 11 acres 2 roods 8 perches, to Mr. J. Barber, for £250. Section 120 (part of), from Hemi parae to J. C. Mabey, for £276 15s. 6d.

Wellington City.—Te Aro Pa, Lot No. 10, containing 22½ perches, to F. P. and A. Simeon, for £25 a year during life. Lot 3, Containing 19 perches, to J. O'Shea, for £300. Lot 23, containing 6 perches, to J. Ashdown (a half-caste relative of grantee), as a free gift.

Leases have been arranged for the Natives of the following lands, viz.:—

Johnsonville.—Section No. 9, containing 152 acres, to Mr. James Futter, for twenty-one years, at £106 a year.

Ohariu.—Native reserve, comprising parts of Sections 7 and 8, containing 145 acres 1 rood, for twenty-one years, to Mr. Thomas Bould, at a rent of £108 18s. 9d. a year for seven years, and £123 9s. 3d. a year for remainder of term.

The Natives have themselves let the following reserves, viz.:—

Pipitea Pa.—Lot No. 6, containing 20 perches, to Mr. W. Ebden, at £10 a year for seventeen years.

Te Aro Pa.—Lot No. 3, 19 Perches, to Mr. C. L. Hart, for twenty-one years, at £30 a year. Lot No. 5, 6 perches, to Mr. C. L. Hart, for twenty-one years, at £5 a year. Lot Nos. 6 and 9, containing 3 perches and 29 perches, for twenty-one years, at £15 a year, to Mr. C. L. Hart. Lot No. 11, containing 3 perches, for twenty-one years, for £15 a year for the first seven years, and £25 a year for the remainder of term, to Messrs. Ross and Thompson. Lot No. 27 (part of), for twenty-one years, at £30 a year for the first fourteen years, and £40 a year for remainder of term, to Mr. C. O. Clayton.

Tinakori.—Lot No. 10, Orangi Kaupapa, containing 3 acres and 7 perches, for fourteen years, to Mr. D. Williams, at £13 a year.

Hutt.—Section 36 (part of), 4 acres and 20 perches, for five years, at £20 12s. a year, to Mr. T. Baxter. Section 1 (part of), 3 acres, for twenty-one years, at £20 a year, to Mr. A. P. Stuart. Section 58 (part of), 3 acres and 34 perches, for twenty-one years, at £6 a year, to Mr. W. R. Welch. Section 58 (part of), 5 acres 2 roods 10 perches, for ten years, at £5 a year, to Mr. W. R. Welch. Lot No. 16 (part of), Pitone, containing 2 acres 3 roods 14 perches, for twenty-one years, at £20 a year, to Mr. D. Everest.

Otari.—Part of the Native reserve, containing 30 acres 1 rood 2 perches, to Mr. F. Rumsey, at £15 and £20 a year on a term of twenty-one years.

Ohariu.—About ten years since Paiuru Rangikatata was promised a Crown grant for twenty-five acres in section 12, Ohariu Valley, on condition of his building a cottage and residing there. The conditions having been performed, the grant has been issued to him.

Tauranga.

Te Papa.—The Native reserves Nos. 14 and 114, in the Parish of Te Papa, containing 159 acres 2 roods 20 perches, have been let, after advertisement, for twenty-one years, to Mr. R. C. Jordan, at £25 a year. This section is much cut up by roads crossing it, which deteriorates form its value as a farm, and has, until lately, prevented its letting.

page 106

All the reserves under my management having now been let, mostly on twenty-one years' leases, and the work of the department brought into system and simplified, I have been able to recommend that my salary as Commissioner of Native Reserves should be reduced. This has been done—from £500 to £100 a year—taking effect from the 1st of April last. I append a debtor and creditor account of my receipts and expenditure for the year.

I have, &c.,

Charles Heaphy,
Commissioner, Native Reserves.

The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington, 7th July 1877.
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