No. 3.
Translation of a Letter addressed by Hone Wetere Korako to His Excellency the Governor.

Sir,—

Salutations to you, the parent of all races, whether Pakeha or Maori, inhabiting these two Islands of New Zealand.

page 198

Sir, salutations to you. This is a word of ours to you about this place, where the Pilot lives and the Signal Station stands. That land has not been purchased by you from us, that is why we continue importuning you to pay us for it. Karetai does not know that you have bought it, and so he keeps on urging you to pay for it, for it is not clear that it was included in the boundary laid down, by Colonel Wakefield and Haimona. They went over the whole boundary of the Land, and laid down the money, but it was not clear that any of it was intended to pay for this piece. For look, Governor, at where the boundary laid down by Colonel Wakefield and Haimona (Symonds) begins: It commences at Purehurehu, thence along the sand by the eastern shore of the entrance of Otago straight over the level land adjoining Portobella, thence to Poatiri, thence as far as the south side of Poatiri, thence along the sea beach to Pikiware Okaihae, thence to the mouth of the Taiari Hakatona Hakinikini, as far as Tokata, then the external boundary ceases; thence commencing the inland boundary, Pohueroa Poupoutunoa, then extending towards the interior Maukaatua, right on to Whakaari, then over to the sea coast to Mihiwaka Purehurehu, then the boundary as laid down by Haimona and Colonel Wakefield.

Sir, the Governor, those are the lands in respect of which the purchase money was laid down, £2,400, by Colonel Wakefield and Symonds; which money was accepted by Tuhawaiki, Taiaroa, and Karetai. That is all we have to say about it.

Sir, just take a look, consider the passing to you of that land on which the Pilot Station stands, of which Pukekura is the Maori Reserve, but to you, the Pakeha, is known as Taiaroa Head. This is the piece of land we want you to pay for, for a portion of the land was an old burying-ground used by generations long gone by, and by those which have followed them up to the present; for the site of that burial-place is now occupied by the houses of the Europeans at the Pilot Station, and the potato plantations and cabbage gardens.

Look, Governor, you and your Runanga, our dead still lie buried in that ground; our children, our parents, fathers, mothers, and all who died, yet it has been made by the Pakehas into a cultivation. Sir, it is for you to take this matter into consideration, in so far as it affects your dead, Look into this matter, and see whether it be right or wrong. With you is the decisive word.

That is all from the whole Runanga of Otago.