72

G.—s

No. 73. REPORT SECTION II.—FRESH BLOCKS PURCHASED.

No. 74. Mr. J. A. Wilson to the Undee Seceetaet, Native Department. Sih,— Land Purchase Office, Gisborne, 6th October, 1876. I have the honor to forward, for the information of Government, the enclosed copy of the Poverty Bay Herald of the 22nd ultimo, containing an advertisement by one John Eogan, an advertiser, who, on inquiry at the office of the paper, I find to be the gentleman of that name who is a Judge of the Native Land Court. The advertisement appeared at the time I was absent on my last journey to Tokomaru, nor was I aware of it on my return until after the last mail had closed. The reason I did not hear was that it was taken for granted I knew it. In regard to this matter, I beg to adhere to the language of my report of the 6th June last, section 8, in saying of this advertisement that it is one of the many " unprecedented proceedings of the Judge;" that "it is an exceedingly improper proceeding, a violent action" and is of a nature to " injure the cause of the public " by prejudging the same to Cooper's advantage. I repeat, also, "I am convinced —I say it emphatically—that it will be necessary to hear the case over again before another Judge— i.e., the cases upon all my numerous blocks that have been singled out by Judge Eogan from the blocks of other Land Purchase Officers, and have been prejudged in a spirit too hopelessly hostile to warrant the slightest hope that the blow he threatens will not be delivered." I have endeavoured to confine this communication to a statement of the fact of the Judge's advertisment, and the relation of the said advertisement to a portion of my report of the 6th June last. More than this appears to me to be unnecessary at present. I have, &c, T. H. Clarke, Esq., LTnder Secretary, J. A. Wilson, Land Purchase Branch, Wellington. Land Purchase Officer.

No. 75. Land Pubchases, Noeth Island. To the Editor. Sih, —Having seen in the Standard of the 20th instant a schedule headed " Land Purchases in the North Island," in which are included a number of blocks of land in the Poverty Bay District, stated by the Hon. the Native Minister in the House of Eepresentatives to have been purchased by Mr. J. A. Wilson, I enclose a translation in Maori of the lands named in that list, and request that you will publish it in the Herald, for the information of the Native owners of land in this district. For the information of those to whom it may be interesting, I desire to state that the quotations of land purchased, alluded to by the Native Minister, are nearly all false statements as far as Mr. J. A. Wilson's purchases are concerned ; because, in the column headed " Purchased," instalments on account of land have only been made, and one or two blocks of land only have been purchased. An inquiry into the nature and extent of these purchases will probably soon be made, when I propose to show that a large amount of public money has been expended in advances to Henare Potaeand others, for which no title can be proved. I will not particularize here, but will mention, —

No. Names of Blocks. Area. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 '.) 10 11 12 L8 11 15 Rangikohua and Mangapapa Whakapaupakihi Te Ahimanavva PuateRoku Te Whakaroa "Waihora Taumatarata and Karamumonono Mangaorongo Paparoa Te Rangiwhaiao Patu Te Kanopu Te Pohue ... Ngawhakatatara Wetea Warekopae ... Estimated )j >> »> Surveyed Estimated Surveyed Estimated jj jj 3> A. E. P. 4,500 0 0 2,000 0 0 50 0 0 5,000 0 0 3,000 0 0 16,474 0 0 6,000 0 0 2,000 0 0 2,342 0 0 583 0 0 2,000 0 0 2,000 0 0 2,000 0 0 2,000 0 0 30,000 0 0 Te Marunga proportion Surveyed 97,949 0 0 3,088 0 0 101,037 0 0