MEETING OF NATIVES.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 265, 17 April 1875, Page 2

MEETING OF NATIVES.

A large number of Natives assembled in the Court-house, on Tuesday last, to interview Sir Donald McLean. lhaka Ngarangi spoke a few brief words of welcome. Karauria Pahura, from Uawa, drew tho Native Minister’s attention to a lit tle difficulty they had about the settlement of Mangarara and Ihonui blocks. Hoani Ruru presented a petition from Rongowhakaala tribe relative to land at I’apatu, Arai, and Popewhakau, which the Government, as alleged, had included within the boundaries of the ceded territory. He said that so far back as 1869, Papatu had been leased to Mr. 11. Barris, and denied that Rongowhakaata had ever given this, or the other portions named, to the Government; 15,000 acres was tho amount agreed to, in equal proportions, at the Muhunga, Patutahi, and Arai, but the boundaries given for the piece ceded by his tribe had not been adhered to by the Government in their survey. Paora Kate spoke at some considerable length, in support of the petition. He named the boundaries of the land his tribe had agreed should be ceded, and said that the" Government had not adhered to them in surveying. Ho further said that if the Government insisted in retaining the land as surveyed

Rongowhakaata would he more heavily punished for the Hau Hau rebellion, than the other tribes, although many members of his tribe had been staunch supporters of the Government. In conclusion he asked that the land should be given back to his tribo. Sir Donald McLean said he would look into tho matter, and give a reply before ho went away. Hemi and othcrs’complained of grantees at the Muriwai disposing of their land. The grantees referred to had no real right to the land ; they had been put in the grant on the advice of Messrs. Atkinson, Graham, and Wyllic, with t he view of makpig’tho land more secure ; and they would wish the title of these persons to be investigated, when it would be seen they had no real right to the land. Wi Pere spoke at Some length. What had been said about the old land trouble was true, but he considered it a very light matter to one that was pressing him now.- He referred to action of Mr. Commissioner Wilson, in purchasing land from Pera Te Uatuku and his brother who had no right to the land in question. He considered it was a waste of the public money to let those two persons have it ; and that Mr. Commissioner Wilson’s coming here was bringing trouble, which would return back to the Government. It was known that he (Wi Pere) had been perverse among a perverse people, but since he had seen that the later laws made by parliament for the native lands passing through t.he Court were good, and would be tho saving of tho people, his opposition had ceased. Tho work of the Commissioner had, however, made his heart dark, and he intended returning on to his land, to await the arrival of Pera and those with him ; on their coming to survey the land they had sold to Mr. Wilson, ho would try them in the same court that his ancestors had tried their ancestors and fathers in. He would never consent that this land should be either sold or leased by them. If ho wanted to lease it, then ho would arrange it with Sir Donald. He complained that Mr. Wilson did not look to Wi Horonga, Paora, Major Robert, himself, or the real owners of the land, but gave jhis money to people who had no claim to it. At the conclusion of his address, Wi Pere was told by Sir Donald McLean that he would see him about the subject he had referred to, and the meeting broke up.