C—No. 1

COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS

No. 20. MR. COMMISSIONER KEMP TO THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER. ! District Commissioner's Office, Bay of Islands, 29th September, 1856. Sir, — I have much pleasure in reporting for the information of His Excellency tho Governor, ;; that the outstanding claims to the Valley of Oruru have been finally and amicably disposed of, and, toas I have every reason to believe, to the satisfaction of the whole of the Natives concerned. 2. On receipt of the instructions which accompanied the sum of Three hundred pounds (£300) ' forwarded through the Sub-treasurer at Eussell, I lost no time in proceeding to Mangonui and Oruru, where, having assembled the different claimants, they finally agreed, after a series of wellconducted discussions, to receive the sum of Three hundred and fifty pounds (£350 j in full compensation for their claims to the Valley. 3. Pororua, who is a chief of considerable importance, and a lineal descendant of Hongi Hika, for several days insisted upon having a section of one hundred acres granted (100 acres) to him upon the same terms with Noble, the late Chief of the Rarawa tribes; and as he had already commenced to cultivate, it seemed to be for some time doubtful whether he would consent to receive a money compensation, although an additional sum of Fifty pounds (£5O), authorized in the fourth paragraph of the instructions, was tendered to him. He however finally accepted the sum of Two hundred pounds (£200), the amount allotted to him, as a full compensation for his claims ; and his immediate followers, who occupy but a small plantation (about an acre and a half) are under a written agreement to leave the ground so soon as they have removed their crops. 4. Two small reserves, of about a quarter of an acre each, at the entrance to the Oruru River, have been set apart for the use of the Natives generally, near to the public road, as a convenience to travellers, and where they might also haul up their canoes while upon their trading excursions. These reserves will be laid and mapped off by Mr. White, who has also undertaken the survey of the external boundaries of the block, so soon as the young chiefs deputed to accompany him have finished putting in their crops. 5. There were present at this meeting several influential chiefs from the north, with Busby, tho successor of the late Noble Panakareao. He is a man of good standing, a friend to the Europeans, and his influence extends over a large body of Natives in the North. He has suggested that the section of 100 acres granted by the Government to Noble, and now occupied by his widow and her attendants, should be purchased, if a favourable opportunity presented itself, with a view to the Valley of Oruru being left entirely to the Europeans, who may thereby be induced to settle in larger numbers. Of Mr. White's assistance, most kindly given, I was glad to avail myself. By his previous acquaintance with the details and bearings of these claims, a vexatious and troublesome questio* has at length been finally and amicably settled. I have, &c, H. T. Kemp, District Commissioner. The Chief Commissioner, Land Purchase Department, Auckland.

R 56-122. Oruru. Reporting final settle. ment of all claims t< Oruru, V. Letters, Nos. I, 2, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19.

No. 21. THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER TO MR. COMMISSIONER KEMP. Land Commissioner's Office, Auckland, 3rd October, 1856. Sir,— With reference to your letters of April 13th and August 13th, reporting the offer by the Natives of your district of two blocks of land named Taraire and Whakapaku, and recommending the purchase of these blocks for the sums of Four hundred and Three hundred pounds respectively;—I hare the honor to inform you that the price is considered by the Government to be excessively high, and, that as a general rule, the purchase of such small blocks should be avoided as entailing great expense in the purchase and survey, which might be obviated by treating in a more general manner for a considerable extent of country. Tamati Waaka, when last in Auckland, suggested with reference to Okaihau that it would be advisable to purchase the whole of the land from Te Wiroa to Hokianga, including Okaihau, instead of purchasing in small quantities. If such an idea is enunciated by Te Waaka, it does not appear impracticable to make arrangements in future for the acquisition of land on a much larger scale, and in a much less expensive manner than is suggested in your letters.

Taraire and Whakapaku. Price named for Taraire and Whakapaku ia too high. V. Letters, Nos. 12, 15.

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