THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 305

bottom of creeks, round, and shotty. One he will be entitled to remove it, whatever
from purely alluvial sinkings, weighty, red may be the quantity, without hindrance from
gold. And one from quartz, of which there the Native owners of the soil; and that
appears to be any quantity. whatever question of compensation may arise
What is wanted therefore to test the capa- in that case, is to be settled, not between the
bilities of the country and develope its re- Natives and the individual diggers, but be-
sources, is— tween the Natives and the Government.

1. A sufficiency of skilled labour, to pro- You are requested to state whether the
   spect thoroughly; men who have worked for agreement just entered into is distinctly
   years at the Gold Fields, and who have re- understood by the Natives in that sense.
   duced Gold Mining to a fixed science: this to
   be obtained. I have, &c.,

2. By an offer on the part of the Govern- HENRY SEWELL,
   ment of such a reward for the discovery of a In the absence of Mr. Mantell.
   paying Gold Field, as would make it worth
   the while of skilled labourers to endeavour to Donald McLean, Esq.,
   obtain it. Chief Land Purchase Commissioner.

3. By the cordial co-operation of those;
   most interested in the advancement and Auckland, 14th November, 1861.
   colonization of New Zealand—the merchants
   of Auckland. SIR,—In reply to your letter of this day's
   date, referring to the agreement entered into

4. By an assurance from the Government, with the Natives of Coromandel respecting
   that prospectors of the country will not be the gold fields, enquiring more particularly
   molested by the Natives in their operations, whether diggers finding any quantity of gold
   and that sufficient protection will at all times would be entitled to remove it without
   be afforded them. hindrance from the Native owners of the
   soil, I have to state that the Natives who
   When these conditions are fulfilled, I fully signed the agreement, and who compose the
   believe that Coromandel is destined at no most numerous and influential proprietors at
   distant period to take its place amongst the Coromandel, have assured me that no obstacle
   large Gold Fields of the Southern Hemis- would be thrown in the way of either digging
   phere. or removing gold off their land at any time,
   it being understood by them that, if gold
   I have only to add that I shall at all times is discovered in considerable quantities,
   be most happy to afford any information in the Government will enter into definite
   my power, with reference to the Gold Fields terms with them as to the compensation
   and the various methods of working them. which they shall receive from the Govern-
   ment. I apprehend no difficulty from the
   I have, &c., Natives, if judiciously managed; they expect
   as owners of the soil, to point out their res-
   WALTER CHARLES BRACKENBURY. pective claims to persons going in search for
   gold; they also expect a Government agent
   Donald McLean, Esq., to be stationed there to arrange matters of
   Chief Commissioner. dispute as they arise.

Office of Minister for Native Affairs,
Auckland, 14th November, 1861. It should, however, be distinctly under-
stood, and notified to persons searching for
SIR,—With reference to the Report which gold, that the land known as Paora's Claims,
has just been received from you of your pro- at Koputauaki, is not to be interfered with.
ceedings at Coromandel Harbour, I desire to These Claims extend from a place near
call your attention to a point on which it is Ring's mill to Koputauaki, and on to Umu-
essential there should be no misunderstanding ngawha, and thence to Arataonga on the
whatever. East side of the range, where a portion of
land has been given by Paora to the Ngati-
The agreement entered into with the porou tribe of the East Coast. These reser-
Natives clearly expresses that European vations will be pointed out to a surveyor at
prospectors shall be free to search for gold any time by the claimants, and it would be
within specified limits of territory, and that desirable to define the boundaries without
in the event of gold being found in large delay.
quantities, the terms of compensation for the
regular working of the gold-field shall be
settled between the Natives and the Go- I have, &c.,
vernment. But in order that persons who
may be disposed to apply capital and labour DONALD MCLEAN.
in the search should be without any anxiety
as to the result in the event of their being The Honourable
successful, it is necessary that they be as- the Minister for Native Affairs.
sured, that supposing any digger to find gold,