MAKOMAKO

AREA   315 acres

PLAN   Hamilton Maori Land plan 6021

OWNERS   Ereatara Tinirau, Rahera Tanui and Erana Te Onerere

CERTIFICATE OF TITLE

(Hamilton Land Registry) 82/196 (95/118)

In April 1890 Peneamine Tanui offered Makomako and Pungarehuroa to the Crown.

Those blocks are at Gumtown [Coroglen] and abut upon the land sold to Europeans there. £2 per acre was the price of the block sold to Mr Charles Carina by Reupena and Repiu and others. The lands that are in the township were sold for £10 er acre. The blocks that are offered for sale to you are two subdivisions of the land (in that locality), viz., Te Makomako containing 315 acres, and Pungarehuroa containing 355 acres. They adjoin each other and conjointly contain 670 acres. ... I am [the owners'] spokesman (agent). The price asked per acre is 1/.1

Wilkinson, to whom the letter was addressed, passed it on to Wellington, adding that

It is so long now since I was at Mercury Bay that I forget the exact position of the two blocks offered, also the quality of the land. It will be seen however from the map that I send herewith that one - if not both of them - joins Crown Land. They have also the advantage of having only a very few owners, so that the purchase could soon be completed if decided upon. Possibly the Survey Department have some information as to the quality and value of the land.2

The Surveyor General was asked if the purchase would be desirable. He replied that

The two blocks passed the Court are too small to be of any use for settlement purposes, unless the soil were particularly good, which it is not in this instance or both blocks would have been purchased long ago by the settlers at Gumtown living within a mile of the place. The larger block I know personally, and with the exception of a few strips along the rivers, is not worth buying at any price.3

Based on this advice the Native Minister decided that the Government did not wish to purchase the blocks.4

In February 1895 the owners of Makomako tried again to sell the two blocks to the Crown.

This is good land fit for farming purposes, partly covered with fern, tupakihi and koromiko. There is also some bush on one portion. There are also about 4o kauri trees growing there. ... The land is close to Gumtown, Whitianga. We consider it is worth 10/- an acre.5

1 Peneamine Tanui, Whitianga, to Land Purchase Officer Otorohanga, 22 April 1890, attached to Land Purchase Officer Otorohanga to Under Secretary Native Department, 8 May 1890 Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1895/115. Supporting Papers #B98.1–7.

2 Land Purchase Officer Otorohanga to Under Secretary Native Department, 8 May 1890. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1895/115. Supporting Papers #B98.1–7.

3 Surveyor General to Under Secretary Native Department, 27 May 1890, on cover sheet to file NLP 2890/152. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1895/115. Supporting Papers #B98.8.

4 Under Secretary Native Department to Native Minister, 29 May 1890, approved by Native Minister, 29 May 1890, on cover sheet to file NLP 1890/152. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1895/115. Supporting Papers #B98.8.

5 Rahera Tanui, Erana Te Onerere and Taumaha Kara, Whitianga, to Land Purchase Officer Thames, 15 February 1895. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1895/115. Supporting Papers #B98.9–10.

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