PAYMENT TO MOUTOA NATIVES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 17, 29 October 1880, Page 2

PAYMENT TO MOUTOA NATIVES.

£«000 IN CASH PAID OVKR. Yesterday the sum of £6000 was paid to the members of the Ngatiwhakatere tribe, who reside at Poutu, some little distance to the south of Mcutoa. The money was paid as the final payment on a block of about 45,000 acres of land, situated on the other side of the river at Moutoa, arid extending towards the ranges. Negotiations for the purchase of the block of land have been going on since 1875, snd instalments have been paid on it, but the natives had not given their sanction to the price offered by Government. However, the matter was placed in Mr Alexan- ' der M'Donald's hands on his appointment as a Land Purchase Commissioner, and about a fortnight ago he visited the natives at Moutoa on the subject. He has been eminently successful, for within the time named he has settled everything, and paid over the money. The amount, which is within a few pounds of £6,000, was to be divided between thirty-five claimants, and cheques wore given to each man for the amount of his share of the spoil, but the natives afterwards returned the cheques and requested that cash might be handed over, so that all the members of the tribe might see the money all in one lump at their meeting house. Accordingly Mr M'Donald had the cash sent to Foxton, and yesterday afternoon, in company with Mr M'Lean, Agent of the Bank of New . Zealand at Paxton, and J. T. Stewart, Esq., J.P,, went out to Moutoa for the purpose of paying over the moneys The members of the Uangitane tribe* " located near Woodville have also to receive some money for their share in . the same blooks, and Mr M'Donald,*

will visit them on Monday and pay^ their share. We did not hear the names of the Moutoa recipients, but Takere and Henare te Herekau are amongst them.