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No. 6. Memorandum by Judge Eogan. 7th September, 1876. This is the second time Mr. J. A. Wilson has stated that I have departed from rule —that within six months (the period allowed for rehearing) I ordered an indorsement on a memorial of ownership for Puremungahua and other blocks of land. He is either insane or deliberately and intentionally making false statements for the purpose of deceiving the Government. The order for the memorial of ownership is not even forwarded to the office in Auckland, neither will I do so in this case until the necessary period elapses, unless I am directed to do so by the Chief Judge. The facts of this case are simple and clear. At the last sitting of the Native Land Court at Tolago Bay, Hepeta Maitai and a number of his tribe proved their ownership to Puremungahua. Mr. Wilson was expected to arrive witli money for the purchase of this and other blocks of land which passed the Court. He went to Wellington, returned, stopped at Gisborne, and wrote to the Natives (I have a copy of the letter) to say that he had no money, and could not appear before them. This was published to the people assembled, and Hepeta Maitai and all the owners of the land then conveyed it to Cooper for 2s. or 2s. 6d. an acre, signed the conveyance, and came before me in Court acknowledging to have signed and taken the money. A few days afterwards I left for Gisborne and Napier in the " Eosina." Hepeta Maitai was a passenger. On the 21st of July last he went to Mr. Wilson's office to repay money advanced by Mr. Wilson. He explained the nature of the conveyance and why they sold the land to Cooper. Mr. Wilson not only declined to receive back the advance, but insisted paying him this advance of £5 (as per voucher). I hereby respectfully submit to the Hon. the Native Minister to surcharge Mr. J. A. Wilson with the above amount, pending an inquiry into his mode of conducting the purchase of lands in the Poverty Bay District for the last eighteen months. And I hereby call Sir Donald McLean's attention to the fact that if this person is allowed to continue this vicious practice of making indiscriminate advances to Natives for land throughout the Poverty Bay District, the public money will be wasted and no other result obtained. I will ask Sir Donald McLean at once if" Mr. Wilson's conduct, even in this small transaction, is justifiable, apart from any other consideration—that after the names of the owners of this land were ascertained by the Court, he should pay this individual alone £5, without consulting the other owners, who were forty miles away at the time. It was not because the Native wanted money, as he had his pocket full of notes, which he handed to the captain to take care of, in my presence, for safe keeping on board. J. Eogan.
No. 7. Judge Eogan to the Undee Seceetaet, Native Department. Sie, — Native Land Court Office, Napier, 6th September, 1876. With reference to my letter of to date, in reply to charges made against me in Mr. Wilson's Annual Eeport of Laud Purchase Transactions, dated 6th June last, I beg leave to demand a strict inquiry into those charges, when the deposition-book and all the records of the Native Land Court Office may be produced to show the manner in which the business has been conducted. I also beg leave to be furnished with an exact statement of each and every payment made by Mr. Wilson on account of land —the date of such payments, the names of the different blocks of land purchased, the names of the Natives from whom those blocks of land were purchased, the amount paid to persons for exploration, the sums paid to Mr. Tucker for obtaining signatures to deeds, and the cost of surveys, more particularly of Arakihi, Tauwhareparae, Parariki, and Piranau. I have, &c, The Under Secretary, Native Department, J. Eogan, Wellington. Judge, Native Land Court.
No. 8. Mr. Campbell, E.M., to the Undeb Seceetaey, Native Department. Sir,— "Wellington, 23rd August, 1876. With reference to certain charges made by Mr. Wilson, Lands Purchase Commissioner, in a report dated 6th June, 1876, against several officers of the Government, among whom I am included, I have the honor to state that the only block of land with which my name could in any possible way be connected is one called Tuakau. This piece of land was offered to my sons for lease nearly three years ago, by the Native proprietors, and declined by them. Two years ago, on the eve of my proceeding to Wellington for a few weeks, they requested me, if I possibly could, to get a good tenant for them. Happening to meet a gentleman, when in Wellington, who was desirous of obtaining some grazing country on the East Coast, I mentioned the request which these Natives had made. On my return to Waiapu I told the chiefs that I had met a gentleman who would take a lease of their land. They immediately wrote to Mr. Locke, District Officer, requesting him to send a surveyor, which he did. I must here state that, when I fulfilled my promise to the Natives of trying to get them a tenant, no appointment of Lands Purchase Commissioner had been made. When the surveyor appointed by Mr. Locke had partially done his work, another party, sent by Mr. Wilson, went on the land, giving great offence to the real owners. I think it will be shown, by evidence given in the Land Court at Waiapu, that one at least of those to whom Mr. Wilson advanced money upon this land had no claim whatever, and imposed upon him, being a stranger.
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