C—4b.

2

The order in Council concluded with the following words : —And the Governor " doth hereby further declare that no land of any loyal inhabitant within the said districts, whether held by Native custom or under Crown grant, will be taken except so much as may be absolutely necessary for the security of the country, compensation being given for all land so taken, and further that all rebel inhabitants of the said districts who come in within a reasonable time and make submission to the Queen, will receive a sufficient quantity of land within the said district under grant from the Crown." The confiscated lands on the West Coast may be divided into three sections. Ist. —Between the Waitotara and Waingongoro. 2nd. —Between Waingongoro and Waitara. 3rd.—North of Waitara. I. — Lands between Waitotara and Waingongoro. In December, 1866, a Compensation Court was held at Wanganui before Judge Smith, and claims of loyal Natives to that pari of the Ngatiruanui Coast Block lying between the Kaupokonui and Wanganui rivers were investigated. The claims were divided into two classes. I. —Those established by proof of actual residence and cultivation up to within a recent period. II. —Those of persons long absent, but who themselves or their relatives were actual possessors in 1840. In class I. 40 claimants obtained each 120 acres of open land and 280 of bush land. In class 11. 79 claimants received 5 acres of available and 11 acres of bush land. The whole awards came to 17,264 acres and were made between the Waitotara and Waingongoro rivers. At this Court the whole of that portion of land within the confiscation line, lying to the S.W. of the Waitotara, and not previously included within purchases or reserves was abandoned by the Crown Agent representing the Government. On the 26th January, 1867, a notice was published in the Gazette that "to shew that the promise of the Government set forth in the order of confiscation had not been forgotten," the following lands were reserved— I.— For the Tangahoe hapu of the Ngat'wuanui tribe. 10,000 acres, more or less—Wareroa Reserve. 500 acres, more or less 1 m ~ t> inn i r YVaukina Reserve. 100 acres, more or less j ll.— For the Pakakohe hapu of the same tribe. 6000 acres, more or less —Mokoia Reserve. 2800 acres, more or less—Taumaha Reserve. 200 acres, more or less—Tangahoe Reserve. 111.—500 acres, more or less-—Hone Pihama's reserve, at Oeo. In April, 1868, the rebellion under Tito Kowaru broke out, and many of the owners in reserves and awards took part in it, the consequence being that no use was made of any of them by even those Natives who remained friendly. Previously to the outbreak, a strip of land had been surveyed and laid off on the map for a railway reserve, but had never been gazetted. This fertile tract, estimated at about 12,000 acres, it was desired to utilize, and it was advertised for lease in sections by tender. Several tenders were sent in, and some accepted; in a few cases occupation took place, and in the rest, none ; but in no instance was rent received. The troubles of 1868 put an end for the time to the scheme of leasing the reserve. As soon as the military difficulties were put an end to, the confiscated lands claimed attention. Amongst other things, the awards of the Compensation Court of 1866, not yet defined, required settlement; there was also a claim of Major Kemp and tho Whanganui Natives to land within tho boundary of confiscation, and the question of the Native reserves and of the lands to be allotted for tho location of the returned rebels had to be considered. Besides this the Pakakohe were released from prison in January, 1873, and it was necessary a decision should be arrived at about their location, esriecially as the settlers in the district raised objections to these Natives being allowed to occupy the reserves made for them. The claim of the Whanganui Natives was disposed of on the basis of an old payment in 1867, and 7)y a grant of 400 acres. The 17,264 acres awarded by the Compensation Court were all situated between the Waitotara and Waingongoro rivers. Never having been defined, though two blocks had been selected, it was deemed expedient that they should be chosen in distinct localities, that the interests of the Natives in them should be defined, and that various floating claims should be adjusted. Instructions were accordingly given, and steps were taken to allocate the awards within boundaries, and in some cases to acquire the interests of Natives who were not likely to need the land for their own occupation. This has been partly effected, and is still in progress. A certain portion of the confiscated lands, viz: that lying between the Whenuakura and Patea rivers, was reported by the Commissioner as ready for sale, and accordingly it was advertised for sale on the 23rd August, 1872. The notice of sale in the Gazette was however withdrawn on 3rd October, 1872, but this was again reversed, and the last notice for the sale was issued on the Bth February, 1873. In April, 1873, it was sold by public auction, realizing £12,100 15s. 7|d. for 4710 acres. In February, the decision of the Government as regarded the reserves of the Natives and any claims they might have between the rivers Waitotara aud Waingongoro was announced. Ist. The Pakakohe and the Natives for whom the reserves had been made in 1867 were to lie at liberty to return to them. 2nd. In addition to these the Pakakohe were to receive 2000 acres about Otauto. 3rd. The Ngarauru were to obtain 2000 acres on the N.W. bank of the Waitotara, and 500 acres for a fishing station at Ilmpukv:.