F.—No. 2

Tuesday, 15th August, 1865. Present: —Mr. Reynolds, Chairman ; Mr. Taylor, Mr. R. Graham, and Mr. Wilkin. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mr. MantelPs evidence in writing was read: — I.] Were the Natives made aware that the land in question was set aside as Reserves for them ?— Tes. 2.] When you recommended this as a Native Reserve, how was it marked on the plan? —It was marked a public Reserve, generally understood as reserved for quays and wharves. 3.] Did the Natives make any use of this Reserve afterwards ? —I do not remember. 4.] Were the Reserves at Port Chalmers part of the plan of the township ?—Port Chalmers Reserves consist of one-quarter of an acre of public Reserve, two unselected one-quarter acre of town sections, one-quarter acre No. 401 purchased by Government to complete Reserve, and remainder, portion of town belt. Mr. James Macandrew, in reply to questions put by Mr. Wilkin, said —I cannot give you any information as to the precise date of the Reserves referred to being officially known to the Provincial Government; but it was first made aware of it about the year 1860, when application was made for some Crown Grants for the land adjacent. I was not in Dunedin when the first selections were made. I do not remember ever having seen in the Town of Dunedin a plan with this specific object marked on it, but I was well aware that the water frontage had been reserved for public purposes subsequent to its having been laid off in one-quarter acre sections. The Committee adjourned sine die. Monday, 21st August, 1865. Present:—Mr. Reynolds, Chairman ; Mr. Wilkin, Mr. Taylor, Mr. R. Graham, Mr. Richmond. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Various documents and papers having been referred to, as also the evidence previously taken, a Report was drawn up by the Committee and ordered to be submitted to the House forthwith. The Committee adjourned sine din. Friday, 25th August, 1865. Present: —Mr. Reynolds, Chairman; Mr. Taylor, Mr. Wilkin, Mr. Richmond, and Mr. Graham. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Report of the Committee was submitted, and on the motion of Mr. R. Graham, the words " as to the equity of the case" were inserted between the words " facts" and " your" in the last paragraph but one. The Report was then agreed to, and having been signed by the Chairmen, was ordered to be presented to the House, and the meeting adjourned sine die. APPENDIX. Message No. 4.—(Brought up by Mr. Rennle, May 17.) Tour Committee report: That, after full enquiry into all the circumstances connected with the Reserve in question, having carefully examined all existing documents bearing upon the subject; having also taken the evidence of several of the earlier settlers in the Province, —among others, that of the Rev. Dr. Burns, W. H. Cutten, and A. C. Strode, Esquires, whose intimate acquaintance with the early affairs of the Province renders their testimony of peculiar value,— They have unanimously arrived at the following conclusions : —■ Ist. That in the original survey of Dunedin by the New Zealand Company's Surveyor, the late Mr, Kettle, the land referred to in the message was laid off, in common with the rest of the water frontages. into quarter-acre sections, open for selection under the New Zealand Company's land orders. 2nd. That prior to the first party of immigrants selecting under their land orders the whole of the water frontage opposite what was expected to be the business part of the town, was withdrawn from sale with a view to the ultimate formation of a public quay or wharf, and for general public purposes — that such withdrawal was made under the direction of the late Colonel Wakefield, the principal agent of the New Zealand Company in the Colony, under instructions of the Secretary in London, Mr. Harington. 3rd. That several of the first immigrants insisted upon selecting the very spot alluded to in His Honor's message, inasmuch as it appeared open for selection upon the official map of the town exhibited in New Zealand House, before they left London, and that they were induced to waive their right of selection solely on the ground that it had been withdrawn for public purposes, and would, in fact enhance the value of the sites which they actually did select. 4th. That from the arrival of the first settlers down to the present time, the Reserve in question has been partially used as the site of various public buildings,—in the first instauce, an hospital having been erected upon it by the New Zealand Company, and subsequently, immigrants' barracks and stores for luggage, constabulary depot, &c, Ac, by the Provincial Government.

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OTAGO RESERVES COMMITTEE.