A.—No. 4.

We now ask you to keep the rents, in order that the payment for the land and the rents may be paid at one and the same time. Ended. HoBOMOSA ToifEMT, (And fifteen others), Ngatirsukawa ; HOHEPA TaMATHENGIA, To Dr. Feathcrston. (And thirty-one others of the Ngatiota tribe.) Enclosure G in No. 6. Notes of various Meetings held -with the several tribes engaged in the Eaugitikci land dispute during March and April, ISOG. During Dr. Featherston's absence with General Chute on the West Coast campaign, the following letter was forwarded to him. Tawhirihoe, Bangitikei, Fbcens, — 20th January, 1566. Salutations. Hearken. "We have arranged for a meeting at Ihakara's pa at Tawhirihoe, on Thursday, the Ist d.iy of February next, in order to talk concerning Bangitikei. Hoani Meibana, Tapa To Kooro; Noa (Eauhihi), Hori Te W'aharoa, Horomona, and all the chiefs will be there to take part in the discussion respecting Eangitikei. If we find that all the chiefs are of one mind, we shall then convene a general meeting of the people, either at Eangitikei or Manawatu, and bring this work of ours to a speedy close. When this general meeting takes place you must come up and propose at once a price for this land—Eangitikei. If we find that there is still division among the chiefs, you must leave us and Mr. Buller and Ihakara, and Hoani (Mcihana), and Tapa, and Hori (Waharoa), to work quietly among the people. Do not (in that case) be dark (or sad) about the delay. Let it be according to your own word at the first, " all the tribe must consent, great and small, chiefs and people, in order that there may be no trouble hereafter." The meeting of chiefs (at Tawhirihoe) will decide as to the mode of sale —whether we are to unite with the Ngatiapa in selling, or whether we are to act separately in this matter. Here is another word of ours. Both of us are opposed to any reserves being made for our people; the whole of the land must pass over to you. Eeserves would be a constant cause of contention between the tribes, because the whole of the land from the Eangitikei River to the Manawatu Eiver is fighting ground (t. c. is in dispute) —there is no part of it clear. Tour friend Ihakara returned this morning to Manawatu, or he would have put his name to this letter. The account of our talk at Tawhirihoe, on Thursday, will be given you by our friend Mr. Buller. Ended. From your friends, A pi: Kama Te Hvhuhurtt, x Witness to signature and to mark —W. Buller., R.M. Wnaxv PuXAPPKA. To Dr. Featherston. The meeting which had been fixed for Thursday, the Ist of February, did not however take place. Ihakara, after consulting the other chiefs, was of opinion that the time had arrived fur a final adjustment of the Eangitikei question, and proposed that instead of calling the principal men together at his own pa, the chiefs and people of the several tribes interested, should bo invited to assemble in some central place for a public discussion of the terms of sale. This was agreed to by the promoters of the proposed Tawhirihoe meeting; and, in order to allow time for collecting food, the date of the meeting was postponed to the 21st of March. Dr. Featherston concurred in this arrangement, and promised to attend the meeting. Te Awahou (in the Lower Manawatu) was the place originally selected for this gathering, but at the request of the Ngatiwhakatere, it was afterwards abandoned in favor of Te Takapu, a settlement on the south bank of the Manawatu Eiver, about twenty miles from its mouth. The proposed alteration of the place of meeting was communicated to Dr. Featherston, and received his approval. .On Dr. Feathcrston's arrival at Manawatu on the day previous to that for which the meeting had been fixed, he learnt that the people had not assembled, and that the gathering had been further postponed to the sth April. A. letter, announcing this change, had been forwarded to Mr. Buller, at Wanganui, but had not reached Wellington in time to prevent Dr. Foatherston's departure. Dr. Featherston remained a few da s at Manawatu, aud proceeded thence to the Lower Eangitikei, where, on the 27th March, he had a long interview with Ihakara. This chief stated emphatically his determination to sell the disputed block, mentioned £21,000 as the price he was prepared to propose, and warned Dr. Featherston that there would, at the commencement of the meeting, be strong opposition from a section of his tribe. He also intimated that Aperahama Te Huruhuru, who was one of the first to offer the land for sale and who had signed the declaration of consent, had resolved on withdrawing from his bargain. He mentioned the names of other chiefs who were either known or supposed to be opposed to the sale. , On the 28th of March, Dr. Featherston, accompanied by Mr. Buller, E.M., proceeded toTurakina. On the following day His Honor held a meeting at the Ben Nevis Hotel with about fifty of the principal Ngatiapa claimants. The meeting commenced about 9 a.m., am! lasted till about i p.m. The chief speakers were Hunia te Hakeke, Aperahama Tipae, Hamuera Eaikokiriiia, Eeupcna Kewetone, Eatana Ngahina, and Hapurona Tohikura. There were two chiefs from Wanganui present (Tamita Puna and Mete Kingi), who also took part in the discussion. Dr. Featherston, having explained to the meeting the circumstances under which he had come up from Wellington, expressed his regret that the Ngatiapa had declined to attend the proposed meeting at Manawatu. He pointed out to them that unless the tribes would now consent to co-operate in a final effort to settle this long-standing difficulty, there seemed very little prospect of anything being accomplished at Te Takapu. He urged the Ngatiapa to reconsider their decision, and advised them to

23

THE MANAWATU BLOCK.