HAWKE’S BAY NATIVE LAND PURCHASES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5142, 15 September 1877, Page 3

HAWKE’S BAY NATIVE LAND PURCHASES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES._ Very many stories are current in town about the wickednesses of the Hawke s Bay land purchasers generally, and of Mr. Ormond and the apostles in particular. To my great astonishment I find that however wild and improbable they may Be, many people believe them; and as very many are most hurtful to a number of upright, honest gentlemen, I crave space to answer these fictions with facts, premising that I have no interest in these purchases. .Were I to go into all these stories, and answer them in detail, my letter would fill a book, X therefore take a few haphazard : 1. That thousands of acres of land have been bought that belonged to minors. This ia incorrect. The Europeans knew that such purchases would be invalid, and though such cases may have occurred, they were most rare—a statement proved by the fact that the Repudiation party, though most anxious, have been una blo to ferret out more than one or two cases. The Supreme Court is open alike to European and Maori, and the latter can easily assert and prove their rights. That large blocks of land have not been regained by Maori minors is due to the fact that no such blocks were bought. 2. That Tareha, a great chief, is a pauper. This, strange to say, is laid as a crime at the door of Hawke’s Bay purchasers. No doubt it may be made to sound badly. Tareha sold his lands and ran through the money, just as many an English spendthrift has done. The Government actually endowed this chief with 28,000 acres. Poor pauper. 3. That the Rev. S. Williams degraded his high profession by pretending to act as a friend and guide to the natives, and then urging them to sell the land (Heretaunga) to the apostles (of whom his brother was one) at a low price. The Rev. Samuel had nothing to do with the sale of that land; he never advised the natives about the matter, and therefore did not act dishonorably. 4. That the apostles wrongfully retain possession of the Heretaunga Block, and that their titles are worthless. Judges Mania" and Richmond investigated these titles, and believed they were honestly acquired.. The Repudiation party, though engaged in bitter war with the apostles, and most anxious to upset the title, have been trying in vain for years. Time after time they have threatened proceedings in the Supreme Court, but they have never got beyond the threats. 5. That Mr. Ormond tried to bribe Mr. Sheehan. Mr. Ormond and the other purchasers of the block have been badgered and worried for years, and constantly annoyed by the bother of preparing to defend their titles. Though they have the most perfect faith in the validity of these, they said to the_ natives, who were always pressing their claims and asking for large sums of money : Wo will give

you £3OOO to settle once and for ever all mat tefs id dispute, to make our title indefeasible beyond your quibbling and to save ourselves from further worry and threats of action. The natives complained that it was not enough, that the expenses would swallow up nearly all. They were then offered £3OOO for themselves and £IOOO to cover legal expenses. This transaction has been talked about and twisted into looking like a bribe to Mr. Sheehan. It was not a bribe, was never intended as a bribe; indeed to apply the word bribe to such a transaction is to murder the Queen’s English; G. That Mr. Ormond, when Government a"ent, withheld money from Henare Tomoana, one of the grantees in the Heretaunga_; that in consequence of Tomoana’s not receiving the money due to him for his services during the war he got so deeply into debt that he was obliged to sell his land to Mr. Ormond. This sounds horrible. The facts are these. Before Judges Richmond and Mauing, Tomoana admitted that he was paid in full for his expedition to Tauranga, and received money for his expeditions to the Wairoa and Taupo districts. He received the money in 1869. One year later he sold his-share in the Heretaunga. Not only was the money not withheld by Mr. Ormond, but the evidence proves it was paid, and that one year after he sold his land. Tomoana uttered no complaint about money having been withheld until two whole years had elapsed from the date of sale. _ Very many other tales are told against the Hawke’s Bay native land purchasers; all equally fictitious. Very many strong but uncalled-for epithets are applied to these transactions, and around them their hangs a thick darkness of ignorance in the minds of the public.—l am, &c., Ahubibi.