82

Mr. Seymour, agreeable to notice, having
read, presented the report of the committee
on education.
Report laid on the table.

Mr. Seymour gave notice that on Monday next he should move that the report of
the Education committee be adopted by the
Council.

Dr. Monro brought up the report on Scab
Bill.

On the motion of Dr. Monro, seconded
by Mr. Seymour, this Bill read a third time,
and passed.

His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor
laid on the table some returns, giving the
quantities of certain articles imported in
each quarter during the last two years, with
the entered values, rate of duty charged,
and amount of duties paid in each case.

On the motion of Mr. Hickson, a select
committee appointed to take into consideration the present mode of levying customs
duties in the colony, with the view of recommending that an alteration be made in
the same, and that such sub-committee do
consist of,

Hon. H. Seymour
,, G. Hunter
,, W. M. Bannatyne
,, G. Moore
,, W. Hickson

His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor
laid on the table two despatches from Sir
G. Grey, and other papers relating to the
subject of compensation for destruction of
property, by order of the officer in command, during the late disturbances at Wanganui.

Dr. Monro gave notice that on Monday
next, the 11th day of June, he should move
that the Road Bill be re-committed.

Dr. Greenwood gave notice that on Monday next, he should move "A resolution
expressive of the opinion of this Council on
the proposed introduction of Exiles."

On the motion of Dr. Greenwood Council
adjourned at twenty minutes past 4
'o clock p.m., to Monday the 11th day of
June, at 2 o'clock.

H. S. Harrison,
Clerk of Council.

Council Chamber,
June 8th, 1849.

REPORT ON THE PURCHASE OF THE

RANGITIKEI DISTRICT.

Wanganui, 21st May, 1849.

SIR,

I have the honor to report to you, for
the information of his Excellency the Lieu-
tenant-Governor, that the arrangements
with the Ngatiapa tribe for the purchase
of the district of land situated between the
Rangitikei River and the Wanganui block,
were satisfactorily concluded on the 16th
instant.

The Ngatiapa having arrived at Wanganui, I held a meeting with them on the
15th instant, at the military parade ground,
which was attended by the officers of the
65th Regiment, also by Capt. Campbell and
Dr. Rees, Justices of the Peace, Robert
Park, Esq., New Zealand Company’s Surveyor, and several of the European settlers,
besides native chiefs from different tribes,
who were invited to attend.

When all were assembled, I briefly informed the claimants that I was glad to see
them coming forward so promptly to conclude the negotiations respecting the transfer of their land, and requested them to
make any statement they wished on the
subject before signing the deed of sale, that
all who favored us with their presence might
understand the object of our meeting, and
the favourable disposition or otherwise by
which they were influenced in disposing of
their land to the Government.

The principal chiefs and claimants responded to this request, by declaring in most
emphatic terms, that it was their firm and
mature resolution to part with their lands to
the Government; and that they anxiously
desired to participate in the various advantages they would derive from the settlement
of a numerous European population amongst
them.

The deed of sale was then read over, the
natives fully assenting to the boundaries and
other conditions therein specified, excepting
two, named Reihana and Ngawaka, who,
although agreeing to the general provisions
of the deed, requested, before attaching their
signature, to retain some large reserves
they had previously applied for, as communicated in my letter of the 10th of April;
but which, from their extent and position, I
could not grant. I therefore gave these natives to understand that as ample reserves
were already provided for them, I could not
now allow of those unnecessary ones after
my explicit determination to the contrary.

George King, the chief of Putikiwaranui,
in addressing the Ngatiapa, remonstrated
against such untimely applications being