OFFICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.

P.-No. 3a,

23

Europeans came to do the work, and I looked on the work of Mr Eogan, which was done soon. I said to my men —"Do not go to fill the race up, but when they go to dinner then you can go." When the Europeans had left off work then I said to my men go and fill it in. I also said, "if the Europeans attack you, and if they strike one of you and hurt you, do not spare them ; hit them, even kill them. When the Europeans saw that their race was being filled in they did not come, but Mr Walker only came to look, and he went to fetch Mr Eogan, who came with Te Tirarau, but I did not consent to what they said. Mr Eogan left in a temper. This is the end of mine. Mr Eogan's wrords are true." I then said to our Eunanga, " As Winiata has done, do you look at his words and those of Mr Eogan." Aperahama Taontii: This is my thought. These two Crown grants, that of Winiata is the oldest, and is of 1865. Mr. Walton's is a new Crown grant, and of 1871. This is mine then, these Crown grants are not right in their number, and perhaps the land ought to be re-surveyed. Here the Punanga got into confusion, who said, let it bo re-surveyed, that the truth should be seen of that Crown grant. Mr. Kemp said that will not be right, according to our law, that of the Europeans, the great thing and his power is a Crown grant. Te Keene Tangaroa: What I see in the two Crown grants is, and in yours, Winiata, the boundary is in the creek, and also Mr. Walton's is also in the creek ; mine is, that the Crown grants show how this matter is to be settled. Paraone Ngaweke: Mine, 0 Winiata, O father, is, that we came here to put an end to this evil, and Paraone and Mr. Kemp are hero ; the matter is in the Government hands ; this is good, as we are now come; after us is the sword. He sung a song. I got up and said : Here we are; I have seen, 0! my elder brother, all about your evil. If it had been To Tirarau I would not have come ; but now, O ! elder brother, cease your bother; your name will not be lost, you are a chief; you are a son of Papahia, your tribe is a great people, Te Earawa, hence I say if you persist in this dispute to gain a name, I tell you I will not help you. You say that there is wrong with Mr. Eogan, and right is with you ; but no, you are wrong, and Mr. Eogan is wrong ; you are right, and Mr. Eogan is right; now in respect to this land you are not great because of it; give up the land of the Europeans. Winiata ■. I have nothing to say, 0! my younger brother; you have seen it, and it is as you say; it is done. But Te Tirarau could not stop me, but you have put an end to it. It is done. Mr. Kemp : Your word is right, Paora, where you say to Winiata —the son of a chief will not have his name lost in living in peace, or in many other ways. Aperahama Taonui: Your thought is right, Winiata; if you had persisted in your evil I w rould have said let it be ended, as evil was the cause of my coining here from Hokianga, hence I was afraid. I shall not say any more. It is ended. This was the end of the talk. On the morning of the 6th we were invited to stay and see the mill work, and join in the dinner given on the opening of the mill, as then was ended the dispute about that mill, as we saw it work, and there was not any confusion on that day. I got up on to the wheel of that mill when the Europeans and Maoris had collected in the house. I said: Hearken, Omy friends, as this mill has now begun to work, do not make any bother with the great things of the Europeans, wdiich is to work the kauri and the flax, and to be the means of wealth to the European and Maori in this place, Kaipara. Let it work. And now I will call the name of the mill Winiata ; so ended my words, at which the Europeans and Maoris cheered ; this is the end of this evil. Enough, from your loving friend, Paoea Tuhaeee.

No 24. J. Eogan, E.M., Kaipara, to the Hon. the Native Ministee. Sic, — Kaipara, 12th August, 1872. In acknowledging the receipt of your circular letter dated 3rd June, 1872, requesting me to furnish a general report on the Natives in this district, I have the honor to state that the Kaipara Natives have maintained their character for order, peace, and a desire to conform to the law in a manner worthy of imitation by their neighbors ; as the very few cases between themselves have, hitherto, been settled without the necessity of appealing to Court. It is probable the chief reason for the general orderly state of the Natives, is the settlement of the difference which existed between Tirarau and Paikea regarding the land claims on the Wairoa; which was in a measure determined by you in 1856, by the purchase of land by the Government, and the subsequent operations of the Native Land Court, which has enabled the owners to sell and lease their lands to advantage, as it has made many of them comparatively independent. The Kaipara Natives are not improving in agricultural pursuits, as the cultivation of potatoes, hardly sufficient for their own consumption, and kumaras are the principal crops which are attended to by a few, while many of the people have hitherto lived on the proceeds of gum, which has been found in great abundance in this district. The cultivations of last year were, to a great extent, a failure, owing to the drought; and the Natives have suffered little in consequence, owing to the facility afforded for obtaining a living by the disposal of gum. I have held over a reply to your circular letter until now, partly because the chiefs of Te Wairoa anticipated some trouble, which Te Uriohau tribe would cause regarding the Kaihu block. However, at a full meeting of the parties concerned, it was unanimously agreed to sell a small portion of the land, which has since been conveyed, and the money divided, without any question being raised to the present time. I am, therefore, inclined to the belief that the difficulties which threatened the settlement of the Kaihu before the title was investigated by the Native Land Court, are not likely to arise hereafter There was a claim preferred by Winiata to a small strip of land at To Kopuru, which was purchased by me from the Provincial Government, a'tsd, as I was the purchaser, and Winiata persisted,