H.—l4

7

Native Minister did communicate with them by telegram. One of them promised to send me the telegrams, which, if he does, as soon as I receive them I will forward to the House. Mr. Rpwe, a surveyor, also told me that Mr Puckey advised him to go and survey "Waiharakeke, and do it by any subtle means, even by candlelight. Karauna also told me that it was not their work to drive cattle off, but the Runanga's. I have written to my interpreter, Mr John Davis, and he does not seem inclined to give me the desired information. It is easy to account for the reason simply, being that he is engaged by the Native Department. I have requested him by letter to-day, stating the House is to meet next month, and also by your request. If he forwards me a reply, I will send it to you. I have, &c, Colonel Haultain. H. Alley.

Enclosure 17 in No. 5. Statement taken at the Thames. Shortland, Tuesday, 7th December, 1875. Mr. Alley and Mr. Pucket present. Mr. Alley.~\ —I received letters from Messrs. Puekey and Clarice in 1873, warning me to remove my cattle from Waiharakeke Run, which I had leased from the Ngatihaua and Ngaiterangi, and informing me, if I did not take them away, they would be driven off, and perhaps killed by the Natives. I went over to Mr. Clarke, at Tauranga, about it. I told him I had seen, the Natives that morning, who had informed me that he had suggested to them to drive my cattle away. I asked him to come out and see the Natives, and he declined doing so. I told him that I had been put to great expense, and that it would be ruination to me if my cattle were driven off. He asked why I could not take them to Auckland and sell them. I replied that the cattle could not stand it, as it was the middle of winter, and they were knocked up by the drive from Napier. 1 said it was hard that I should be treated differently from Messrs. Firth and Buckland and others, who had been assisted by the Groverment to maintain their position even in more troublous times. Mr. Clarke said he could not assist me in the matter, and said, "why not remove them to Hikutaia," which I had just taken from Mr. Nathan. I said it was said it was nearly all swamp. I returned to Hikutaia, and went to Waiharakeke with John Davis, who was my interpreter, and we found the Natives driving my cattle to the eastern side of the river; I protested through him against their being driven away, and reasoned with them; they said they would drive them a few miles further down, and then they would talk about it. They talked it over for three days, and sent one of their men to Waikato to give notice to the Ngatihauas. and three young men came down. These young men protested against the cattle being driven off, and said they would soon have to drive men off as they would come and take possession. Karauna replied, You have got your right hand full with the Europeans ; take care you don't get your friends in your left hand. These young men offered to get their party to come down and keep the cattle on the run, and fight if necessary. I said I should not agree to any illegal acts, as we had Courts of justice to which we could appeal, and advised them to go to the Courts if they believed the land was theirs, and that I would assist them to take the case into the Supreme Court. Mr. Davis interpreted this, and they agreed, that it would be the best plan, and I advised the Natives to see Mr. Mackay and get his opinion in the matter, and perhaps he might settle it. They drove the cattle to Hikutaia, killing, I understand three bullocks, and others were damaged or lost in the bush, and a good many died from eating tutu, as there was no other food. Mr. Mackay tried to get me the land but did not succeed, and money has since been paid on it to the Natives, I think by Mr. Mackay, on account of Mr. Thomas Russell. Mr. Mackay also told me that he had explained my position to Sir D. McLean about December 1874 ; that Sir D. McLean would 'not agree to my having the land. I saw him (Sir D.) shortly after in January or February. I told him that a Native at Tauranga to whom I had paid money, and who had promised to protect me as being part owner of the land, had said that they had received two telegrams from him, advising them to drive my cattle off. Sir D. McLean denied having sent the telegrams. I told him that I believed the Natives had told the truth, and he went out of the room. Some Natives told me during the discussion at Wairukau, where the cattle had been driven, that they would not have interfered with the cattle only that a runanga of Europeans and Natives had agreed that the cattle should be driven off, and I believe that Mr. Puekey was one of the Europeans concerned, and that had it not been for this runanga the cattle would have been left alone, Karauna was one of the runanga Natives. I have had general conversations with the Natives since, who have wished me to go back to the land, and they have led me to suppose that the officers of the Native Department were opposed to it. Mr. Alley also says that an advertisement appeared in a Tauranga paper about the beginning of 1873, by which the Ngatihinerangi Natives offered for sale their interest in the "Waiharakeke Block, and my attention was drawn to this by Mr. Warbrick, of Tauranga, who said there would be no difficulty in negotiating with those Natives. The advertisement was signed by a Native named Marsh. Mr. Mackay also offered to assist me in procuring land for bona fide settlement, and advised mo to take Mr Warbrick to assist, and on his return informed him that he would bo able to get this land, at Waiharakeke. Mr. Puekey states : —That I heard in May 1573 that Mr. Alley had leased Waiharakeke from certain Natives, and that the Ngatimaru at Aroha had written a letter to the members of their tribe at Shortland, stating that there were a number of cattle belonging to Mr. Alley depastured on a portion of the Aroha Block (which had been awarded to the descendants of Marutuahu by the Native Land Court), and also upon other lands adjacent thereto; and that if the cattle were not removed they would be destroyed ; and soon after these Natives came to me and had a meeting in the large room belonging to my office and discussed the matter, upon which I wrote the letter referred to by