c. The nature of the transactions proposed for validation are,--

1. Conveyance of the estates and interests in the Wharekopae No. 2 Block of Ereti te Raihe, Tawaho Kerekere, Pimia Aata, Keita Rangiwhaitiri, Peti Aata, Mere Hare, and Harata Haumapuhia, to Charles William Ferris, formerly of Gisborne, in the District of Poverty Bay, but now believed to be in New South Wales; which conveyance is dated the 9th day of May, 1883.
2. Conveyance of the estates and interests in the Wharekopae No. 2 Block of Whio Mataitai and Heni Kouka to James Nelson Williams, of Napier, in the District of Hawke's Bay, which conveyance is dated the 11th day of December, 1882.
3. Conveyance of the estates and interests in the Wharekopae No. 2 Block of M. R. Bloomfield or Mere Wiri and Pere Morete to Thomas Charles Williamson, James Douglas Williamson, and Sydney Williamson, the applicants herein, for validation; which conveyance is dated the 13th October, 1888, and the 15th December, 1888, being the respective dates of the execution of the conveyance by the two vendors.

Waerenga-a-hika; Heni Kouka, Tuparoa; Mere Wiri, Gisborne; Pere Morete, Karaka.
2. Dead owners (if any) whose shares are claimed, but no successors appointed. The persons named as probable successors to be served--
Tawaho Kerekere (dead). Probable successors--Heriata Hoekau, Hira Hoekau, Kerekere Hoekau, Katerina Hoekau, Henare Hoekau, Peka Kerekere Hoekau, all of Waerenga-a-hika. Most of the above being minors, notice to be served on their trustees, Peka Kerekere and Heni Auraki.

Application to the Validation Court under "The Native Land (Validation of Titles) Act, 1893."

IN THE VALIDATION COURT,
HOLDEN AT GISBORNE.

In the matter of "The Native Land (Validation of Titles) Act, 1893"; and in the matter of the Ihunui Block.

A. ANDREW REEVES, of Tolago Bay, in the District of Poverty Bay, sheep-farmer, applies under the abovementioned Act for the validation of the estates and interests, purchased, as appears from the conveyance hereinafter mentioned, from five Natives, in all that parcel of land situated in the Gisborne Native Land Court District, in the District of Poverty Bay, containing by admeasurement 82 acres, more or less, being the land called or known as the Ihunui Block.

B. The applicant desires to appear before the Validation Court on Monday, the 28th day of May, 1894, at the hour of 10 o'clock in the forenoon, or at the first sitting of the Court thereafter.

C. The nature of the transaction proposed for validation is,--

1. A Conveyance, bearing date the 29th day of July, 1881, from the Natives hereinafter mentioned to the said Andrew Reeves, for the total consideration of £145, of all their estates and interests in the said Ihunui Block, which conveyance was executed by the several Natives whose names are hereunder immediately set forth, upon the several dates and for the several considerations set opposite to the respective names of the said Natives, as follows:--

D. The estates and interests in land by the said conveyance intended to be alienated are the whole of the estates and interests in fee-simple of the Natives hereinbefore mentioned as having executed the said conveyance in the land known as the Ihunui Block (hereinbefore described); and the title to which said Ihunui Block at the time the said conveyance was executed by the said Natives was a certificate of title bearing date the 27th day of July, 1881, issued by the Native Land Court of New Zealand in favour of seven owners.

E. The estate or interest in the said Ihunui Block which the applicant seeks to obtain through the aid of the Court is an estate in fee-simple.

F. The manner in which and the persons through whom the applicant came to be invested with the title or right he now holds, and the date and particulars of the conveyance under which the said applicant came to be invested with the said title or right, is as follows:--
The Conveyance (previously described in paragraph c hereof), bearing date the 29th day of July, 1881, from the said Natives whose names are previously mentioned in the said paragraph c to the said Andrew Reeves.

G. The address for service of the applicant in the Town of Gisborne is at the office of Messrs. Nolan and Skeet, solicitors, off Gladstone Road, in the Town of Gisborne.

H. The applicant desires the said estates and interests in fee-simple in the said Ihunui Block of the said Natives whose names are set forth in paragraph c hereof, being the persons who executed the said conveyance (as previously mentioned), bound by the decrees of the Court, and for that purpose requires that copies of this application shall be served on the said Natives or their representatives (according to the list set forth in the Schedule hereto).

The applicant desires that all others who may claim to be

D. The land the estates and interests in which were intended to be alienated is all that block known as Wharekopae No. 2, situate in the District of Poverty Bay; and the title of the said block at the time of the several alienations claimed to be validated was memorial of ownership issued under "The Native Land Act, 1873."

E. The estate or interest which the applicants seek to obtain in the several estates and interests claimed is a freehold.

F. The manner in which other persons or companies came to be invested with the title they now hold, and the dates and particulars of each conveyance or transfer, are as follows:--

1. Charles William Ferris to the Auckland Agricultural Company (Limited); conveyance, dated 2nd September, 1886, of the interests acquired by him in the Wharekopae No. 2 Block of (1) Ereti te Raihe, (2) Tawaho Kerekere, (3) Pimia Aata, (4) Keita Rangiwhaitiri, (5) Peti Aata, (6) Mere Hare, (7) Harata Kaumapuhia.

2. James Nelson Williams to the Auckland Agricultural Company (Limited); conveyance, dated the 16th September, 1886, of the interests acquired by him in the Wharekopae No. 2 Block of (1) Whio Mataitai and (2) Heni Kouka.

3. The Auckland Agricultural Company (Limited) to Thomas Charles Williamson, James Douglas Williamson, and Sydney Williamson, the applicants for validation herein; conveyance, dated the 16th day of October, 1888, of all the Native interests aforesaid in conveyances 1 and 2 acquired by the said Auckland Agricultural Company (Limited).

4. Probate to the said applicants, dated the 29th day of March, 1888, in the estate of the Hon. James Williamson, M.L.C., deceased.

G. The address for service of the applicants in the Town of Gisborne is at the office of Cecil Albert de Lautour, solicitor.

H. The applicants desire that the estates and interests of the Native persons aforesaid who executed the several deeds of conveyance set out under the letter c of this application (subsections 1, 2, and 3) be bound by the decree of the Court; and for that purpose require that copies of this application shall be served upon them or their representatives according to the lists set forth in the Schedule hereto.

The applicants desire that all others who may claim to be interested in the validation applied for shall also be treated as parties to these proceedings, but the applicants are unable, except as hereinafter mentioned, to specify any names as those persons entitled to object to the validation applied for.

The applicants are not aware of any other aboriginal native nor of any European who may properly claim to be an objector.

Dated this 20th day of March, 1894.

JOHN W. MATTHEWS.

Signed before me by John William Matthews, agent for the applicants, he being physically unable to write, by affixing his stamp in my presence--C. A. de Lautour.

To the Registrar of the Validation Court, Gisborne.

The Schedule.

1. The surviving owners whose shares are claimed by the applicants enrolled in the memorial of ownership issued under "The Native Land Act, 1873," for Wharekopae No. 2--
   Ereti te Raihe, Te Reinga Tiniroto; Pimia Aata, Waerenga-a-hika; Keita Rangiwhaitiri, Petane, Napier; Peti Aata, Gisborne; Mere Hare, Gisborne; Harata Haumapuhia, Whakatane; Whio Mataitai